First weekend performance of latest release

In the Friday gone by, three distinct films had released - PHOONK (horror), MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM (comedy) and MUMBAI MERI JAAN (social). As pointed out in this very column last week, PHOONK was always the front runner and credit must go to the makers for having designed the strategy for the film's promotion and it's release quite well. Deserving 10 out of 10 for the way they brought PHOONK to the public, it was pretty much on the cards that PHOONK would take a good opening.

However, there was a surprise in store since being true to it's title, PHOONK seemed to have spun black magic at theaters across the country. Otherwise how does one really describe the terrific opening which this film managed to take all over the country? A near 100% opening on Friday caught even the staunchest supporter of Ram Gopal Varma (and PHOONK) by surprise.

Released at limited shows (2-4 at all major multiplexes), the film took a very good opening (over 80%) when the day begun and soon word of mouth ensured that by the time evening and night shows commenced, there were house full signs all over. Made in a budget of just 3 crores, the film is on it's way to do a business of at least 10 crores which means that the Superhit tag is not really far away.

A surprise success of the year in spite of no leading stars glaring from the film's posters and promos, PHOONK has managed to erase the disappointment of the box office failure of Ramu's last month release CONTRACT.

On the other hand both MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM and MUMBAI MERI JAAN had a tepid opening at the box office. Though the latter at the least managed to fetch good reviews, in fact the best of the season, the former was thrashed by audience as well as critics all over. Result was that MUMBAI MERI JAAN is showing some signs of survival and fighting hard at theaters on the basis of good word of mouth. However, MAAN GAYE MUGHALL-E-AZAM has been a complete downer, hence turning out to be yet another dismal show for a comedy film this year. At the very onset, it had seemed to be a safe film but audience had zero inclination towards watching this film which means that the way MGMEA has performed, it may well short of the collections of Mallika's last UGLY AUR PAGLI.

Last week's movies

Siddharth Anand's BACHNA AE HASEENO has turned out to be a safe preposition for everyone involved. Showing a good performance at the box office with more than 21 crores coming in it's first week, the film has reached safe shores and should comfortably cross the 30 crores mark, hence ensuring at the least an above-average tag for itself. Well, if one asks Yash Raj Films, they may well love to call it as a hit, at least thematically, since it has been after ages that their film has managed to win hearts of the audience. In Mumbai the film did business in excess of 4.5 crores while Delhi was good too at just a little less than 2 crores. Delhi NCR brought in another 1 crore plus while Ahmedabad too topped the 1 crore mark. In fact the way BACHNA AE HASEENO has performed, it is all set to outscore the final box office collections of TASHAN.

For a film which was clearly dated and didn't have an impressive publicity to boast of, GOD TUSSI GREAT HO went on to do some decent business for itself with a 11 crore first week. However, the film hasn't been much appreciated and is bound to take a big fall in the second week. At maximum, the film would be able to earn a coverage tag for itself, something which neither the makers nor the actors would mind since at one point of time, even that looked impossible. The film was best in Mumbai (in fact quite good) with 3.5 crores though Delhi was quite low at 75 lakhs.

From the past

Till a few days back, especially after a blockbuster first week opening, one wondered whether SINGH IS KINNG would go on to break the 86 crores record of OM SHANTI OM. However, after a second week haul of 18 crores, that is now out of question as the two week total of the film stands at 62 crores. Covering up remaining 24 crores is clearly an impossible task and for SINGH IS KINNG, now the immediate milestone is to cross the 76 crores WELCOME barrier. In it's second week, SINGH IS KINNG fell by 60% in collections (expected since the film had opened huge) though it continued to do well in places like Mumbai (2 crores), Delhi (2.5 crores) and Delhi NCR (1.25 crores) which brought in maximum moolah.

UGLY AUR PAGLI could muster only 10 lakhs in it's third week after a 80% fall and is now ready for it's DVD release after a 7.5 crores haul. However, it would still be some time before Aamir Khan eventually decides to bring JAANE TU YA JAANE NAA on home video. In the week leading to 50 days at the box office, this Imran Khan starrer earned another 40 lakhs at the box office. The film should eventually close under 55 crores.

In the future

Four films release this Friday - ROCK ON, C KKOMPANY, CHAMKU, MUKHBIIR - and frankly none of them seem to have hype or buzz good enough to do a PHOONK at the box office. While MUKHBIIR is a no-show even before it's first show unleashes on screen, there aren't much hopes from CHAMKU either in either cities or the cow belt (especially up North where traditionally Deol films have done well). One clear cut reason for that? It's extremely weak title! This leaves ROCK ON and C KKOMPANY to fight it out amongst themselves. While ROCK ON should open well (over 50%) in its target market of Mumbai and Delhi, C KKOMPANY has a more pan-India audience as it's target audience. However, anything over 50% for this medium budgeted comedy should be good enough for it to sail through.

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The forthcoming film 'ROCK ON' is going to be something that a lot of youngsters in India will be able to relate to a great extent.

Why?

Most of the people are blessed with some kind of skill or the other.

No one can deny that at least once in our thoughts or dreams we must have found a strange kind of pleasure imagining ourselves as a celebrity enjoying the life of a star who is adored by the people and forever hunted down by the paparazzi.

Some youngsters most probably in their college days must have been fortunate enough to experience the sweet taste of getting great compliments after an excellent performance of some kind or the other presented in front of the whole college or just for the classmates.

The mere recall of those magical moments of appreciation, encouragement and enquiries by certain aspirants and well wishers who are curious about how u accomplished the deed all gives a high.

This rush of blood is followed by the stark reality that those moments and after that the few hours or may be days of feeling like a king is now part of history and nostalgia.

You are reminded that what exists today is the fact that you are just one among a big crowd having nothing exclusive.

And just like the thousands of guys and girls who lead a life being part of some big multinational company or any other organization, getting a decent salary, supporting a family and trying to be fully satisfied with the present life as it is not possible to go back to the younger days and start all over again.

Some might have dug the graves for their talents to rest for ever because of the circumstances, some others due to the families that does not support and believe in you, some just because of unfavourable circumstances and yet some others due to just because of the fear of failure when it needs every ounce of the guts, energy, perseverance and the strongest will to finally realize the real dreams.

In this urban movie just like what has been mentioned in the above paragraph, four men who had split off in their peak days of glory to pursue other lesser goals reunite to give a second shot for making their long held most cherished aspirations true and thus nail down the unpleasant frustrating thoughts that have been haunting them for long.

'ROCK ON' is the story of these four guys who try to kill of the demons of their inner calls which constantly mocked at them forcing to see themselves as real losers.

This is the film that speaks of the wild freaky guys who comes back to revive their younger days and regroup the band MAGIK which was once regarded as the hottest and most talented rock band in India.

Aditya Shroff is the talented singer from Delhi who had the instincts to follow the way shown by his instinct whatever happened around him.
He does not consider anybody's opinions and leaves the comfort of his home to become a rock singer. He is the mind of the band.

The guitarist of the band is Joe Masceranous who has inherited his musical genes from his family members who were musicians.

But the bitter fact that all of his folks were failed musicians is like an extra baggage which reminds him always that he can also end up in the same way.

He likes to talk less and instead prefers his skills of playing guitar communicate for him. He is the personification of will power in the band.

The man who slams the skin for the band is Kedar Zaveri, who have the nick name KD which stands for "Killer Drummer".

He is regarded as the energy generator and heart of MAGIK. The instrument he plays looks like an extension of his own body when he is at his best on stage.

Rob Nancy is the most laid back member of the band. He handles the second guitar and is the soul of the band.

The name of the band becomes the ultimate truth when the four guys with four different attitudes comes together and creates magic.

So what happens which acted as the death blow that shattered and destroyed the one big collective ambition that emitted the invisible powerful rays to make every hurdle that the band MAGIK faced so easy to cross at one point of time.

See the film to know the reasons that may end up not just providing you entertainment but could also inspire people to just go and get it following the gut instincts as it is never late as long as you are alive.

Cast- Introducing FARHAN AKHTAR & PRACHI DESAI, ARJUN RAMPAL, PURAB KOHLI, LUKE KENNY, SHAHANA GOSWAMI
Dialogues -FARHAN AKHTAR
Story- ABHISHEK KAPOOR
Screenplay -ABHISHEK KAPOOR & PUBALI CHAUDHARI
Music- SHANKAR EHSAAN LOY
Produced by RITESH SIDHWANI & FARHAN AKHTAR
Directed by ABHISHEK KAPOOR Read More ...

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