Latest news with #MirajCinemas
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Saiyaara's strong opening weekend sets sails for ₹200-300 cr at box office
Mohit Suri-directed Saiyaara, which marks the debut of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has already exceeded industry expectations for films led by new actors, attracting strong footfalls from Gen Z and millennial audiences. The movie, which tells a compelling love story with captivating musical tracks, pushed its global box office numbers beyond Rs 100 crore over the first weekend of its release. The romantic drama from the Yash Raj Films banner revolves around Krish Kapoor (Panday), a struggling musician, and a young writer diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (Padda). It explores themes like love, loss, and memory through the relationship between its lead characters. Saiyaara has already broken records, entering the Rs 100 crore club in its first weekend with new actors in lead roles. Film trade analyst Girish Wankhede expects Saiyaara to be the fastest film to reach the Rs 200 crore mark with new actors, while Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, Managing Director of Miraj Entertainment, believes the film has the potential to touch Rs 300 crore in its full run. Cinepolis India anticipates the film to collect an additional Rs 60 to 70 crore in its second weekend. In comparison, similar excitement and momentum for films with new actors were seen in Dhadak, Aashiqui 2, and Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. PVR INOX, India's largest cinema exhibitor, said the movie recorded over 15 lakh admissions in three days (opening weekend) with 77 per cent occupancy on Sunday. For Miraj Cinemas, the film saw about 2.5 lakh footfalls across its properties, with occupancy averaging slightly over 60 per cent for the opening weekend. MovieMax Cinemas noted over one lakh footfalls, with Rs 3 crore in box office collection for the opening weekend. Meanwhile, BookMyShow sold over 3.5 million tickets on its platform for the opening weekend, making it one of the fastest-selling movies in recent months. This reassures the industry that with the right content, the theatrical business can shine and bring audiences back to theatres, executives at PVR INOX, Cinepolis India, Miraj Cinemas, MovieMax Cinemas, and BookMyShow collectively stated. 'We increased the shows and added night shows to accommodate the high demand for Saiyaara. The film worked very well in the Hindi belt, with cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Patna, and Lucknow driving the demand,' said Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinepolis India. 'Saiyaara is expected to cross one million (10 lakh) footfalls in its first week, which underlines its strong resonance with audiences.' Mendiratta added that the film has performed especially well in North India, with cities like Jaipur, Ludhiana, Lucknow, and Patiala reporting houseful shows. The film also has a strong connection with the age group between 15 and 30 years. He said that the younger demographic is showing up in large numbers, with many coming in for repeat viewings, which reflects the film's emotional impact. 'The film's early success reaffirms the audience's growing appetite for emotionally rich storytelling, especially when paired with fresh, relatable talent,' said Ashish Saksena, Chief Operating Officer (COO), BookMyShow. 'Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda have captured the relevance to and imagination of Gen Z and millennial viewers, marking a strong debut, with the film's soulful music and heartfelt narrative driving strong engagement pan-India, with cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Pune leading ticket sales, followed closely by Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Saiyaara is on its way to becoming one of the biggest opening weekend performers this year on the platform, second only to Chaava.' Gautam Dutta, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Revenue and Operations, PVR INOX, said that the phenomenal response to Saiyaara is a strong testament to the film's emotional connect and the power of theatrical storytelling. 'What's especially exciting is the way it's striking a chord with Gen Z audiences, particularly in metros like Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Pune, where youth footfalls were significantly above average. Saiyaara has also become a record-breaker, becoming the first film led entirely by debutant actors to enter the Rs 100 crore club within its opening weekend,' Dutta added. Kunal Sawhney, COO, MovieMax Cinemas, said that the film has seen steady demand on weekdays and expects similar footfalls in the upcoming weekend. Similar to Miraj Cinemas, its properties across Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Pune, and Noida have significantly contributed to its overall performance. 'The momentum has been so strong that it's already impacted the release slate. Son of Sardar 2 has reportedly postponed its release due to Saiyaara's continued performance, and I believe that decision is directly linked to how well Saiyaara is holding ground. With major releases lined up in the coming weeks, it's rare to see a film maintain such a strong hold, but Saiyaara seems poised to run well into the release of big-ticket films like War 2,' said Mendiratta. Wankhede explained that with the audience being overexposed to crime and thriller genres, Saiyaara fills the gap with its romantic and emotional theme. At the same time, the movie did not face any major competition with other releases on July 18. He also noted that the actors' minimal exposure in terms of promoting the movie created curiosity, with all its music tracks becoming a hit with the audience prior to the film's release.
News18
04-06-2025
- Business
- News18
Housefull 5: Akshay Kumar Film's Dual Climax Strategy A Win-Win Or A ‘Tricky' Gimmick?
Last Updated: The simultaneous release of two versions of Housefull 5 could bring forth some much-needed respite to exhibitors. But a trade expert explains why this could misfire. How to create a comic caper cum whodunit with an X factor? The makers of Housefull 5 may just have cracked the formula. If you think that it's USP is its franchise value and a star-studded ensemble cast, you may be mistaken. Because its biggest novelty is its dual climax. One look at BookMyShow and you will see that you're being offered two different options to choose from – Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B. In fact, recently, producer Sajid Nadiadwala had revealed that audiences will get to watch different versions of the film at different screens. Needless to say, most fans are thrilled and so is the exhibition industry. This could set an interesting precedent and bring forth some much-needed respite to distributors, exhibitors and cinema owners. Is it really a win-win? Gautam Dutta, CEO, Revenue & Operations, PVR INOX Ltd, tells us, 'The concept of offering different climaxes across screens is certainly unique and could spark curiosity among audiences. While it's an unconventional approach for the Indian market, it also opens up new avenues for engagement and conversation." He's quick to add that the success of a strategy like this, however, depends on 'how effectively it is communicated to audiences and how well it aligns with their viewing expectations'. And along with that, producer and film business expert Girish Johar reiterates that content is the ultimate destiny decider. 'This is the first time that such a plan has been put to practice. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to content. If people enjoy watching Housefull 5A, they would want to watch Housefull 5B too. I see it as a positive development and hope it pans out well," he remarks. According to Rahul Puri, MD, MuktaA2 Cinemas, an 'experimental' marketing strategy like this can also have consequences on the creative aspect of filmmaking as it may 'open up new possibilities for storytelling in theatres'. 'Moviegoers are eager to explore and compare the varied endings. And this is refreshing, it's exciting and it could mark a new chapter for the industry going forward," he asserts. Bhuvanesh Mendiratta, MD, Miraj Entertainment Ltd, believes that this is a great way for audiences to start prioritising the theatre-going experience once again. 'With so many entertainment options available, experiments like this feel timely and much needed. At Miraj Cinemas, we truly celebrate it when filmmakers take creative risks like this. Showing two different climaxes isn't just a unique concept, it's also a smart one. Audiences are constantly looking for something new and this gives them a reason to come back and watch the film again, just to see how the endings differ," he states. He continues, 'Both versions are getting an equal number of screens at Miraj Cinemas. Viewers can decide which version they want to see first and that element of choice adds to the overall fun. Rang De Basanti had multiple versions considered before the final cut was locked. In the case of Sholay, the original ending where Thakur kills Gabbar was changed due to censor board objections, resulting in a completely different climax being shot. But what's happening with Housefull 5 is a step further. Releasing both versions to the public shows a remarkable level of confidence from the film's team." But is this new and innovative strategy reflecting in the presale numbers? 'While it's still early to assess the full impact, the initial response to advance bookings has been encouraging. We're seeing steady interest across key metros and select tier-2 markets. We believe that the uniqueness of the format could drive strong word-of-mouth and possibly repeat viewings but a clearer picture will emerge closer to the release," says Dutta. Trade guru Atul Mohan, however, differs. According to him, there's also a catch in this innovative strategy. 'When audiences are trying to pre-book their tickets, they're getting confused looking at Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B. And that's why, I feel that the advance sales are quite low. This strategy may also be tricky as it doesn't guarantee sure-shot footfalls. People will go to watch Housefull 5B only if they enjoy Housefull 5A and are curious about the second version. However, if Housefull 5A disappoints them, they won't go in for Housefull 5B," he explains. And at a time when spoiler culture has become so rampant, it's tough to say if the makers of Housefull 5 will be able to curb climax leaks from both versions that can eventually kill the larger buzz and curiosity. 'Sometimes, audiences give out endings and climaxes. We've no option but to live with it. I'm pretty sure that the marketing and the production teams have worked out a plan in handling that scenario. They're also adding more to the confusion by name dropping Nana Patekar's name as the murderer so that the audience keeps guessing," Johar points out. First Published:
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Indo-Pak tensions: Cinemas, malls bear the brunt of conflict during weekend
Cinema halls and malls near the Western border are bearing the brunt of the India-Pakistan conflict, with night shows being cancelled at certain cities and footfall plummeting to new lows. In Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Punjab and Rajasthan, they are staying open only for a few hours, depending on the situation. Some cities like Chandigarh, Bhuj, Amritsar, Srinagar, and Pathankot have stopped night shows (movies starting between 8 pm and 10 pm), sources told Business Standard. Amit Sharma, managing director (MD), Miraj Entertainment, said, 'There are a few places near the border where we (Miraj Cinemas) have been asked to stop night shows. They include Gurdaspur and Pathankot.' He added, 'I don't think there will be any major impact (on revenue) due to the ongoing situation. It is also because we don't have many movies to run right now. For the rest of India, shows are running normally.' Sharma said no decision has been taken to add morning shows in areas where night shows have been impacted. Film trade analyst Girish Wankhede said that the movie-going sentiment among people has dampened and they are glued to their television channels. They are watching news and consuming content from OTT platforms. He added that in Maharashtra, the occupancy has dropped to 5-6 per cent from the average 35 per cent. As a result, cinemas are shutting down one-two screens now. Nitin Datar, president, Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association, India (COEAI), agrees with Wankhede. Datar anticipates that occupancy in the theatres will be impacted in the near future. Wankhede added that footfalls were already very low in 2024 compared to 2023 and he expected them to be even lower in 2025. This comes after a 6 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) decline in footfalls to 883 million in 2024, which were lower than the pre-pandemic levels, according to a report by Ormax, a media and entertainment consulting firm. 'This year will again see huge losses as it has got only a few popular content like Sky Force and Chhaava. Now Raid 2, which has already achieved ₹98 crore will soon complete ₹100 crore at the box office. Excluding these three films, hardly any other movie has done well,' he said. In malls and shopping centres, some areas have had to shut down due to blackouts. According to an executive at a mall in Punjab, footfalls have dropped and are even lower during evenings. 'On Friday, we shut the mall early following government protocol, but footfalls have definitely dropped,' he said. Another industry executive said there have been mall and market closures in cities like Amritsar, Jalandhar, Srinagar, Jammu, Udhampur Chandigarh, and Ambala from May 7 to May 10. 'In certain areas, malls followed advisories for blackout protocols, which included switching off external signages and lighting, temporarily pausing business operations, and coordinating with the enforcement authorities. In Srinagar and Udhampur, for instance, brief but complete power outages were reported, which malls handled seamlessly through backup systems and emergency lighting,' said RS Roy, executive director of IRF Trusted Mark, which works closely with the Shopping Centres Association of India. Roy added that many malls have also conducted safety drills.
