Sitaare Zameen Par more than proved its mettle in the first week but like the ten children in the heartwarming film, there seems to be no dearth of intellectually challenged people in the trade who insisted all through the week that collections were rigged or that producer Aamir Khan had resorted to block (corporate) bookings to prop up the film. Of course, there was no truth in the fake stories of block bookings doing the rounds. Yes, there were cases of block bookings but they were genuine instances — of schools and organisations booking tickets in bulk for their students/members. The film netted Rs. 10.70 crore on the first day, an extraordinary figure considering the theme and the star cast. Although the opening day’s collection set the tone for the weekend, nobody was prepared for the 86% growth on Saturday. The jump took even the most optimistic persons by surprise because one hasn’t seen such a jump (86%) in collections on the second day for a film with even a decent start, what to talk of a film with a lovely initial. Saturday closed at Rs. 19.90 crore. Collections on Sunday saw yet another huge jump, again unprecedented after an 86% increase on the second day. The total for Sunday was Rs. 26.70 crore. After a first weekend total of Rs. 57.30 crore (more than five times the first day’s collection!!), collections for the weekdays were as follows: Monday – Rs. 8.50 crore, Tuesday – Rs. 8.60 crore, Wednesday – Rs. 7.51 crore, Thursday – Rs. 6.55 crore. Therefore, the total for the weekdays was Rs. 31.16 crore. In this way, the first week closed at a whopping Rs. 88.46 crore. The second weekend started on a super-strong note as Friday recorded a total collection of Rs. 6.67 crore, slightly more than the Thursday total in spite of several new releases!

Kuberaa (dubbed) fared miserably in the first week. It collected around Rs. 0.50 crore only in 1st week.

28 Years Later (dubbed and the original English versions) did average in 1st week. After netting Rs. 0.12 crore on the first day (Thursday), it collected only Rs. 2.20 crore in the remaining seven days of the first week. Hence the total for the first 8-day week was Rs. 2.32 crore.

Elio (animation; dubbed and the original English versions) did very ordinary in the first week. It collected only Rs. 1.60 crore in 1st week.

How To Train Your Dragon (dubbed and the original English versions) fell around 65% in 2nd week. It netted Rs. 0.58 crore on Friday. Collections shot up to Rs. 1.46 crore on Saturday, and further to Rs. 1.73 crore on Sunday. Hence the total for the second weekend was Rs. 3.77 crore. Collections for the weekdays were: Monday – Rs. 0.39 crore, Tuesday – Rs. 0.44 crore, Wednesday – Rs. 0.36 crore, Thursday – Rs. 0.37 crore. Therefore, the total for the weekdays was Rs. 1.56 crore. In this way, the second week closed at Rs. 5.33 crore. Grand total for 2 weeks: Rs. 20.57 crore.

From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina (dubbed and the original English versions) dropped about 80% in the second week. It collected approximately Rs. 1.90 crore in 2nd week. Grand total for 2 weeks: Rs. 11.80 crore.

Housefull 5 faced a marked fall in collections — more than 70% — in the third week. The third weekend started with a collection of Rs. 1.50 crore on Friday. Collections on Saturday increased to Rs. 2.50 crore while the figure for Sunday was Rs. 3 crore. After a third weekend total of Rs. 7 crore, collections for the weekdays were as follows: Monday – Rs. 0.65 crore, Tuesday – Rs. 0.75 crore, Wednesday – Rs. 0.50 crore, Thursday – Rs. 0.40 crore. Hence the total for the weekdays was Rs. 2.30 crore. In this way, the third week closed at Rs. 9.30 crore. Grand total for 3 weeks: Rs. 153.30 crore.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (dubbed and the original English versions) is in its last lap. It netted only Rs. 0.85 crore in its sixth week. Grand total for 6 weeks: Rs. 110.26 crore.

Final Destination: Bloodlines (dubbed and the original English versions) is on its way out of the cinemas. It collected about Rs. 0.25 crore in its sixth weekend, and another Rs. 0.15 crore during the weekdays. Hence the total for 6th week was Rs. 0.40 crore. Grand total for 6 weeks: Rs. 61.17 crore.

Samsara (Marathi) fared badly in 1st week all over Maharashtra.

Jarann (Marathi) continued its victory march in 3rd week all over Maharashtra.

Bell Bottom may have been expected to score at the turnstiles as it was the first big-budget film starring an A-list actor to release in cinemas in almost 17 months and also the first theatrical release after the second Coronavirus wave lockdown was lifted in different states in July/August this year, but it failed to live up to expectations. The eight-day week did not really add up to much! No doubt, cinemas in most states are allowed to function at only 50% capacity, but even those 50% seats were not full in majority of the cinemas and in majority of the shows. The film opened on 19th August (Thursday) in 2D and 3D all over except in Maharashtra and a couple of other small circuits like Assam and Tamil Nadu-Kerala. Shockingly, collections of the 2D version were better than those of the 3D version at many places. On second thoughts, that shouldn’t come as a shock because the 3D effects in the film, starring Akshay Kumar, were far from good. The first day’s net collection figure was just Rs. 2.75 crore. Collections on Friday were no better as the second day also ended at Rs. 2.75 crore. Quite obviously, the Moharram holiday on Thursday/Friday did not help the film much. Collections on Saturday showed only a marginal improvement as the day closed at Rs. 3 crore. The Raksha Bandhan festivities gave a boost to collections on Sunday, because of which the fourth day closed at Rs. 4.50 crore. In cinemas where collections on the first three days were very poor (only 5-7% of the capacity), the collections on Sunday were more than the total collections of the first three days. In this way, the film netted only Rs. 13 crore in the first 4-day weekend. Collections on Monday were alright in Uttar Pradesh (due to the holiday declared in the state following the demise of erstwhile chief minister Kalyan Singh on Saturday) and a couple of other circuits (due to the advantage of post-Raksha Bandhan festive spirit). But collections in other circuits showed a drop in comparison with the collections of Thursday/Friday/Saturday. Monday closed at Rs. 2 crore only. Collections for the balance weekdays were: Tuesday – Rs. 1.75 crore, Wednesday – Rs. 1.50 crore, Thursday – Rs. 1.25 crore. The total for the four weekdays was, therefore, Rs. 6.50 crore. In this way, the film netted only Rs. 19.50 crore in the first 8-day week. Even if one assumes that the film will have a run of several weeks at the cinemas because of very limited number of new releases in the coming weeks, it is not expected to net more than Rs. 30 crore in its entire run. Probably, the film may not even touch that figure! Of course, the silver lining is that producers Vashu Bhagnani and Nikhil Advani took the bold step of releasing the film in cinemas in spite of 50% occupancy, night curfews, closure of cinemas in some states, and reluctance of many among the public to come to the cinemas for fear of getting infected by the virus, and their step needs to be lauded. However, it must be added that while the producers promoted the film extensively, they did not stress on the fact that it was coming in cinemas. With the public being used to consuming films on OTT platforms during the two lockdowns and also when the lockdown was lifted for a little over five months in between, many people did not even know that Bell Bottom was coming on the big screen. They assumed that it was to release on 19th August on one or the other streaming platform and, therefore, did not go to the cinemas. Why, there were and there still are countless people who didn’t/don’t know that cinemas in their state/city had/have reopened. The all-India distributors, PEN-Marudhar Cine Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., also erred in not issuing prominent ads in newspapers to announce that the film was hitting cinema screens. The film underperformed in the Overseas circuit too with a gross of only Rs. 8.8 crore in the first 8-day week.

Puaada (Punjabi) did very well in the second week too. It had opened in limited cinemas (which had reopened) on 12th August (Thursday) to a rousing reception, collecting Rs. 50 lakh on the (odd) opening day. The first four-day weekend had closed at Rs. 2.45 crore while the eight-day first week closed at Rs. 3.83 crore. The second week was also very good. The second weekend closed at Rs. 1.05 crore. The net collection total for the four weekdays of the second week was Rs. 0.78 crore. In this way, the second week’s total was Rs. 1.83 crore. Grand total for 2 weeks: Rs. 5.66 crore. The comedy has performed excellently Overseas too. It has grossed Rs. 8.8 crore in 15 days abroad.

Kesari Chapter 2 did quite well in the first week. The film netted Rs. 7.84 crore on the first day. Collections increased to Rs. 10.08 crore on Saturday, and further to Rs. 11.70 crore on Sunday. After a first weekend total of Rs. 29.62 crore, collections for the weekdays were as follows: Monday – Rs. 4.50 crore, Tuesday (discounted ticket prices in national multiplex chains) – Rs. 5.04 crore, Wednesday – Rs. 3.78 crore, Thursday – Rs. 3.60 crore. In this way, the total for the weekdays was Rs. 16.92 crore. Therefore, the first week closed at Rs. 46.54 crore. Overseas, it has grossed Rs. 23 crore in 1st week. This is the best non-festive week opening for an Akshay Kumar starrer in the last two years. The only Akshay film which opened better than this was Bade Miyan Chote Miyan but that was released on the festive occasion of Eid. Otherwise, this opening is better than the Overseas opening of OMG 2, Sky Force, Khel Khel Mein, Sarfira, Mission Raniganj and Selfiee.

The Secret Of Devkaali proved to be a disaster in 1st week all over.

Widow’s Shadow fared miserably in the first week all over.

Odela 2 (dubbed) did not do anything worthwhile in the first week all over.

Paddington In Peru (dubbed and the original English versions) could not do much in 1st week. It collected approximately Rs. 1.50 crore in the first weekend, and another Rs. 0.60 crore during the weekdays. Hence the total for the first week was Rs. 2.10 crore.

Jaat dropped very noticeably in 2nd week. It collected about Rs. 10.50 crore in the second weekend, and another Rs. 6 crore during the weekdays. Hence the total for 2nd week was Rs. 16.50 crore. Grand total for 2 weeks: Rs. 76.18 crore. The film will entail a loss to the producers.

A Minecraft Movie (dubbed and the original English versions) dropped around 45% in the third week too. It netted about Rs. 2 crore in 3rd week. Grand total for 3 weeks: Rs. 12.90 crore.

Susheela Sujeet (Marathi) performed poorly in the first week all over Maharashtra.

Sant Dnyaneshwaranchi Muktaai (Marathi) could not do much in 1st week except in pockets of Maharashtra.

Ashi Hi Jamva Jamvi (Marathi) dropped markedly in 2nd week in Maharashtra.