[1]Yet again, predictions were proved accurate when the Shahid Kapoor-Illeana D’Cruz-starrer Phata Poster Nikla Hero opened to 50 per cent footfall on Friday. A certain section of the industry was expecting better numbers but that was hard to come by. The film had managed to generate good buzz but not the kind that would result in “houseful” boards all over. The songs, which were expected to pull in crowds actually contributed to break the narrative. Moreover, there was always going to be competition from last week’s release Grand Masti. That’s the reason why the film stayed average right through the weekend, bringing in around `22 crores* in the first three days. With mixed reviews coming its way, the film will have to stay stable through the week to register a total decent enough to be termed “average”.
Lunchbox, this week’s other release, was never expected to create a riot at the box office. At premium multiplexes, the Irrfan Khan-starrer was indeed the first choice of cinegoers. However, it has been released in very few screens and the audience base for it was niche as well. As a result, the opening weekend saw around `7 crores* coming in with constant increase in footfalls on a daily basis. However, it isn’t one of those films where a mere weekend decides its fate. The real situation will be known once the film enters its second week.
* At the time of going to press
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/mov2jpg-575