In the wake of the post-pandemic period, Bollywood has witnessed the release of several highly anticipated films that have reinvigorated the cinema experience for audiences across the country. Notably, the Shah Rukh Khan starrer “Pathan” kickstarted the year with a bang, drawing audiences back to theaters. More recently, the releases of “Gadar 2” and “Oh My God 2” have once again revitalized the allure of cinema halls. Notably, “Gadar 2” has stormed the box office, making it one of the year’s biggest openers.
The Dominance of “Gadar 2” in Single-Screen Theaters
“Gadar 2” owes much of its success to the recognition and support it garnered from single-screen theaters. The Chief Business Officer of the production company behind “Gadar 2,” Sharik Patel, along with the head of the revenue department, Bhoomika Tiwari, attributes its success to the response it received from these single-screen theaters. Bhoomika Tiwari remarked, “Around 36 to 37 percent of the film’s collection comes from major multiplex chains, while the remaining 63 percent comes from smaller cinema chains and single-screen theaters.”
As predicted a week back, ‘Gadar 2’ has opened to and/or is all set to open to absolutely bumper houses. In single-screens and even many multiplexes, you can expect to see crazy crowds outside clamouring for tickets today, and dancing and yelling in the auditoria with Tara Singh… pic.twitter.com/7VH1T9xkyS
— Komal Nahta (@KomalNahta) August 11, 2023
A Confident Start with a 400 Million Rupee Opening
Considering the uncertain state of single-screen theaters post the COVID era, “Gadar 2” demonstrated the industry’s resilience by surpassing expectations. The film was expected to generate an opening collection of around 250 million rupees from studios. Still, it astoundingly achieved a 400 million rupee opening, thus boosting the film’s prospects but also the confidence of the entire industry.
Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 Beats SRK’s Pathaan In Advance Booking At Single Screens, Sells 1 Lakh Tickets #Gadar2 #Pathaan #SunnyDeol #ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/teMQIDtAwq
— Surbhi Bhawsar (@SurbhiBhawsar9) August 9, 2023
Advance Bookings Opened 12 Days Prior
Bhoomika Tiwari and Sharik Patel elaborate that theater owners were initially apprehensive about reopening their establishments during the pandemic. However, the tremendous response to the film’s teasers, trailers, and other updates instilled confidence among the filmmakers. Consequently, the booking for the film opened 12 to 13 days before its official release, defying the previous trend of just five days.
Overseas Success and a Lesson for the Industry
Operating on a budget of less than 800 million rupees, “Gadar 2” garnered access to over 4000 screens nationwide. Additionally, it secured around 900 screens in overseas markets, resulting in an impressive 50 million rupees collection. The film’s success has emphasized the importance of producing content that resonates with the roots of Indian cinema and encourages other filmmakers to take bold risks.
Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2 Beats SRK’s Pathaan In Advance Booking At Single Screens, Sells 1 Lakh Tickets #Gadar2 #Pathaan #SunnyDeol #ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/teMQIDtAwq
— Surbhi Bhawsar (@SurbhiBhawsar9) August 9, 2023
Sunny Deol’s Effective Low-Cost Promotion
Sunny Deol was pivotal in promoting the film, a departure from his usual promotional approach. Industry insiders report that Sunny Deol even accepted a lower fee for his role in the movie, relieving the budget from additional financial burdens.
Read more articles
- “Gadar 2” Box Office Collection: How Did Sunny Deol’s Film Perform on Day 1?
- Indian Fundamentalists Summon Canadian Envoy on Khalistani Extremists’ Threat
High Expectations for “Oh My God 2”
On the other hand, trade analysts Atul Mohan and distributor Akshay Rathi express high hopes for “Oh My God 2,” starring Akshay Kumar. They assert that the film’s franchise and substantial buzz around its release contribute to its potential success.
#Gadar2 wreaks havoc at the box office by collecting 40.10 cr on Day 1. The film is huge in multiplexes but simply historic in single screens!#OMG2 couldn’t stand the Gadar 2 wave as it managed an opening of just 10.26 cr!#SunnyDeol #AmeeshaPatel #AkshayKumar #PankajTripathi… pic.twitter.com/WcZQ0brXnl
— Siddharth Kannan (@sidkannan) August 12, 2023
“Oh My God 2” and its Strategic Release
Atul and Akshay elaborate that the buzz surrounding “Gadar 2” was substantial, complemented by the strength of its franchise. This, combined with the film’s significance in addressing critical societal issues, has played a role in its strong opening despite being released on around 2000 screens. With the upcoming holiday on August 15th, it is expected that “Oh My God 2” will potentially earn up to 800 million rupees.
