The sequel may be coming more than 22 years after the first part released but there’s no denying the fact that Tara Singh is so deeply embedded in people’s minds and, more importantly, hearts that it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Gadar 2 is all set to bring an earthquake at the box-office. When Gadar Ek Prem Katha had hit the screens in June 2001, it had smashed almost every box-office record till then and had gone on to write box-office history. Sunny Deol, the Tara Singh of Gadar Ek Prem Katha then and of Gadar 2 today might just repeat history.
Anil Sharma’s directorial venture is already creating ripples at the advance booking windows of cinemas. Just to give you an idea of the kind of heat the sequel is generating at the turnstiles: the Zee production venture till yesterday (August 4) had sold 3,052 tickets at the multiplexes of Wave Cinemas in North India. The break-up: NOIDA – 488 tickets, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad – 114, Raja Garden, Delhi – 270, Raj Nagar, Ghaziabad – 393, Meerut – 525, Moradabad – 297, Lucknow – 93, Hardwar – 596, Rudrapur – 276. At Jaipur’s Raj Mandir cinema, the film had, till yesterday (August 4), sold 3,200 tickets out of 5,500 for the first day (August 11). The number for Saturday was 1,370 (out of 5,500, of course) while for Sunday, it was 1,750. That means, a total of 6,320 (38%) tickets out of 16,500 had already been sold by August 4 for a film which will hit the screens on August 11. As on Saturday (August 5) at 11 p.m., the number of tickets sold in the national multiplex chains was as follows: PVR – 18,000, Inox – 13,500, Cinepolis – 12,000. That means, a total of 43,500 tickets in the three national multiplex chains. The plans for the sequel at many places opened 10 and 12 days in advance!
It is common knowledge that the real momentum at the advance booking counters starts three or four days prior to the release date. So one can well imagine what the scenario on August 8 and 9 would be, if this was the position on August 4.
Industry sources estimate that the national multiplex chains could end up selling around 4.50 lakh tickets of Gadar 2 in advance! The same industry sources feel that the advance booking at non-national multiplex chains and in single-screen cinemas, especially in non-Southern circuits, could be historic.
Any guesses then about the first day’s net collection figure, the first weekend’s total and the first week’s box-office takings?
