How are latest releases 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', 'Valimai', 'Bheemla Nayak' performing?
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, movie theaters and big-ticket launches, as we knew it, had suffered a big blow. With the number of new coronavirus cases declining steadily in the country, cinemas are slowly getting revived. Banking on that, three major pan-India films—Gangubai Kathiawadi, Valimai, and Bheemla Nayak—hit theaters last week. So, how well are these performing? Let's find out.
We'll start with Tamil superstar Ajith Kumar-led action drama Valimai, which arrived in cinemas on Thursday (February 24) and has been breaking records in Tamil Nadu. Estimates of opening day box office collection were put at Rs. 30 crore, thus surpassing opening collections from superhits like Vijay's Master, Bigil, and Mersal and Rajinikanth's Darbar, Annaatthe, and 2.0. It also became Ajith's highest Day-1 grosser.
Next, we have Alia Bhatt's Gangubai Kathiawadi, which came out on Friday. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's offering collected Rs. 10.5cr on opening day, surpassing traders' expectation of a Rs. 7cr haul. In terms of Hindi films in post-COVID-19 times, Gangubai clocked in the third-highest opening after Sooryavanshi (Rs. 26.29cr) and 83 (Rs. 12.64cr), per Taran Adarsh. Notably, both Sooryavanshi and 83 had had holiday releases.
#GangubaiKathiawadi SOLID SATURDAY… Eyes ₹ 40 cr [+/-] total in its *opening weekend* in #India… #GangubaiKathiawadi 🌺🌺🌺 nahin, 🔥🔥🔥 hain. pic.twitter.com/HDh4sn7l6P
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 26, 2022
The Telugu offering Bheemla Nayak, starring Pawan Kalyan and Rana Daggubati, has also managed to mesmerize the audience. Aside from Indian theaters, the Ayyappanum Koshiyum remake has been enjoying great reception in overseas markets. On its opening day, it recorded Rs. 6.53cr in the US and Rs. 87.81L in the UK. Moreover, it debuted at No. 6 at Australia's box office collecting Rs. 83.22L.
These films aren't the only big-screen releases that have caused a stir. The Marathi film Pawankhind has enjoyed a massive opening weekend collection of Rs. 6cr. The historical film opened with an Rs. 1.15cr haul last Friday (February 18), but then it saw a humongous 80% rise in sales on Saturday—a trend that continued through Sunday. Thus, it's safe to say, cinemas are back!
