‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ gets a promising opening

Salman Khan’s Diwali release Prem Ratan Dhan Payo made an impressive opening at the box-office on first day on Thursday with an occupancy rate of 70 to 80 per cent.

The Sooraj Barjatya-directed film marks Khan’s collaboration with the director and his banner Rajshri Films after a gap of 16 years.

“The opening has been very strong. It should make about Rs350-400 million [Dh19-22 million] as per early estimates [today]. The weekend collection should be about Rs1.1-1.2 billion. It is the festive season, with Khan and Barjatya’s combination, which is working,” said distributor Girish Wankhede.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said the movie got the leg-up due to the combination of Khan and Rajshri films. “The opening is phenomenal across the country. The advance bookings and the buzz so far have been terrific,” he told PTI.

The romantic-drama also stars Sonam Kapoor, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Swara Bhaskar, Armaan Kohli and sees the comeback of the 49-year-old Dabangg star’s much-loved character, Prem.

Earlier this year, Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan took an opening of nearly Rs272.5 million. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is expected to make more than that at the box-office.

Last year, Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer Happy New Year, which released on Diwali, raked in an impressive Rs450 million.

Kamal Gianchandani, CEO, PVR Pictures Ltd, said families are watching the movie, which also benefits from being the solo release during the festival.

“It is a clean film which is appealing to the family audiences. Parents along with their children were thronging not only the afternoon shows, but even the morning shows. That is a very positive sign,” Gianchandani said.

Asked if the film will surpass the record of Bajrangi Bhaijaan (nearly Rs3.2 billion across India), Manoj Desai, exhibitor and executive director, Gaiety Galaxy, said, “It is too early to say anything but people are loving the film. All shows are houseful. Even the advance booking for the weekend is very strong.”

The next big release is Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone starrer Tamasha, which opens on November 27.

Asked if Tamasha will be affected due to Prem Ratan..., Wankhede replied in negative. “Tamasha will have an audience of its own. There is a gap of two weeks, which is huge for any big budget movie to enjoy a complete run in today’s times when we have 20-25 shows per day at multiplexes. There is no threat to Tamasha.”