Abhishek Varman's multi-starrer recorded higher occupancy in the morning shows than Akshay Kumar's 'Kesari'
Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra starrer 'Kesari' had a spectacular opening on the occasion of Holi (March 21). It earned Rs. 21.06 crore on its first day, making it the biggest opener of 2019, so far. However, it looks like Dharma Productions' latest outing 'Kalank' is set to surpass Kesari's Day 1 figures.
Abhishek Varman's period drama -- starring Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy Kapur, Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Dutt -- got released on 5300 screens [4000 - India and 1300 - Overseas] across the world on April 17, Wednesday, making it the biggest release of 2019, so far. It is the also the widest ever release for a Varun Dhawan-Alia Bhatt starrer.
'Kalank' is expected to gain from the extended weekend (Mahavir Jayanti and Good Friday). Trade analysts suggest the magnum opus will earn somewhere between Rs 18-20 crore on Wednesday.
Here's a detailed look at the Box Office predictions of Kalank:
1. 'Kalank' registers higher occupancy than 'Kesari' on Day 1
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As per a report in Box Office India, 'Kalank' registered an above average occupancy of 35-40% in the morning shows, similar to 'Gully Boy'. Akshay Kumar's 'Kesari' which went on to become top opening-weekend earner of the first half of 2019, saw lower occupancy rate than 'Kalank', which means the latter has high chances of surpassing the Day 1 figures of Akshay's war-drama. The grandeur of Abhishek Varman's sets, larger-than-life characters, film's ensemble cast and the songs are all adding up to Kalank's popularity.
2. The Extended Weekend Factor
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'Kalank' released on April 17, a holiday in many parts of India on the account of Mahavir Jayanti, which will then be followed by a holiday on Good Friday. Film and trade business analyst Girish Johar feels positive that the film will open at around Rs 20 crore.
Talking to Indian Express about the impact of an extended weekend on the film’s opening, Girish said, “Kalank is coming from one of the topmost production houses, Dharma, which is the pioneer of making mega-budget movies. Releasing in the middle of the week, it is cashing in on the holiday of Mahavir Jayanti. The makers are looking at a mammoth release and are eyeing maximum numbers before Avengers: Endgame release on April 26. Having a long weekend, I expect a good start as it looks big. People will at least watch it once. It will be the first preference of moviegoers also because there are no other options."
3. No competition for 9 days until 'Avengers: Endgame' releases
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Produced by Dharma Productions, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Fox Star Studios, 'Kalank' will enjoy a clear runway at the theatres this weekend as it has no major clashes. John Abraham's 'Romeo Walter Akbar' has already exhausted its run while Akshay Kumar's 'Kesari' too has slowed down.
'Kalank' has a clear window of nine days until this year’s biggest Hollywood release, 'Avengers: Endgame' hits the theatres. The film is the final installment in the Marvel superhero series and is expected to open big in India.
“Avengers is highly awaited Hollywood film not just in India but worldwide and will definitely impact Kalank at the box office. These days if the film is good, it continues to run successfully, like Uri ran for more than 7-8 weeks. If Kalank is good, it can also hold its rhythm for many weeks,” Girish Johar told Hindustan Times.
Varun had also said in an interview earlier, “Our film is coming out nine days before (Avengers), even internationally we are getting a big release. Nine days is a lot for Kalank to be seen and liked by people. These days, if people like a film, it works. So if they like Kalank, it will continue to run. There is enough screen space for both these films to run.”
4. 'Kalank' to earn Rs 100 crore in first weekend?
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On being asked about the film’s weekend collections, Girish told Hindustan Times, “Looking at the buzz ahead of the film, the film should open at around Rs 18-20 crore. If a film doesn’t get good response, it tends to fall by evening. If Kalank is liked by the audience, it can easily cross Rs 100 crore during the weekend but this depends on the reviews and the word of mouth. ”
5. Will 'Kalank' meet audience's expectations?
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Girish Johar feels the team Kalank is, “eyeing the bullseye at the box office.” According to him, the film is releasing in over 3000 screens and he feels, “All is benefiting it, be it a huge scale, ‘A’ grade ensemble cast and a good setup. Also, the extensive promotions have increased the awareness level among the audience.”
However, considering the film has opened to mixed reviews it still remains to be seen whether the trade analysts' predictions will actually come true or not.
