The much-awaited clash of two of the biggest Bollywood films happened on December 18 when Shah Rukh Khan starrer Dilwale and Ranveer Singh starrer Bajirao Mastani released on the same day.
According to film trade pundits, Rohit Shetty directed Dilwale ended the first day on Friday with an advantage over Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed Bajirao Mastani. Veteran trade analyst Komal Nahta Tweeted: "Dilwale may not offer much novelty but it offers entertainment. SRK may make net profit of Rs 100 crore."
As per the occupancy reports, 'Dilwale' registered an edge over 'Bajirao Mastani' with a much higher opening of around 60-70 per cent in multiplexes as compared to less than 40 per cent for the period drama. Experts said the first day collections of Dilwale may stand at around Rs 24-26 crore while that of Bajirao may be half of that. "The opening day collection for 'Dilwale' will be somewhere around Rs 21-22 crore. 'Bajirao' might settle for a Rs 10-12 crore opening day figure," Girish Wankhede, of production-distribution company Entity One, told PTI.
Dilwale was also released on December 18 across Australia, Norway, Pakistan, Myanmar, United Kingdom, Canada, United States and South Africa. In Pakistan, Dilwale is reported to have generated around Rs 5 crore as the opening day collection breaking all previous first day collection records. However, in West Asia, overseas exhibitors were bullish on Eros International's Bajirao Mastani which was released in 850+ screens, said Nahta.
Film director Karan Johar tweeted and declared Dilwale as a "blockbuster". "No doubt about that!! Box office rage coming!! Huge congratulations to SRK Kajol Varun Kriti and Rohit Shetty!!" Johar said in his Tweet.
As per Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Pictures 'Bajirao Mastani' as well as 'Dilwale' are big films and both got good advance bookings which is unprecedented for both the films. "We are expecting aggressive opening for both the films," he was quoted as saying in online media.
"Advance bookings of both the movies are fabulous. We are hoping this weekend will be one of the biggest box office weekends," Rajender Singh, VP, Programming & Distribution at Inox Leisure, told a daily. Inox currently operates 102 multiplexes and 402 screens in 55 cities making it a pan-Indian multiplex chain while PVR is the market leader with 490 screens across India.
Dilwale is being released by Shah Rukh Khan's company and is said to have been made at a budget of over Rs 75 crore. In order to be termed as a commercially successful film, Dilwale will have to generate around Rs 180-200 crore at the domestic box office, say trade experts.
Bajirao Mastani is reported to have been made on a budget of Rs 120 crore of which the producer is said to have recovered half of it via the sale of its satellite and music rights. It has been released in around 2,000+ screens in India while Dilwale was released in over 3,000+ screens.
Watch this space for more updates and news on Bollywood.
BW Reporters
Ashish Sinha is an experienced business journalist who has covered FMCG, auto, infrastructure, tourism, telecom among several other beats. Ashish has keen interest in the regulatory scenario impacting different sectors. He writes on aviation, railways, post and telegraph, infrastructure, defence, media & entertainment, among a wide variety of other subjects.
