Tag Archives: Batti Gul Meter Chalu

Bollywood Box Office: October 5-7, 2018

The weekend’s two new Hindi releases met very different fates at the North American box office, despite opening on approximately the same number of screens. From October 5-7, 2018, the romance Loveyatri earned $73,656 from 50 theaters ($1,473 average), according to Bollywood Hungama. During the same weekend, the thriller Andhadhun earned $251,942 from 54 theaters ($4,666 average). 143 Cinema reports even higher earnings for Andhadhun of $278,464, making for a per-screen average of $5,157. In terms of opening weekend per-screen average, Andhadhun ranks in 6th place for the year, with Loveyatri in 32nd place out of 45 Bollywood films released in North America.

Sui Dhaaga: Made in India held up well in its second weekend of release, retaining 37% of its opening weekend business. It earned $217,816 from 132 theaters ($1,650 average), bringing its North American total to $999,148. Pataakha‘s woes compounded as it lost 98% of its opening weekend business, with a second weekend total of $713 ($143 average). That’s the year’s worst holdover percentage among the 42 Bollywood movies that scored a second weekend here.

Other Hindi movies still in North American theaters:

  • Stree: Week 6; $10,717 from seven theaters; $1,531 average; $839,668 total
  • Batti Gul Meter Chalu: Week 3; $1,600 from three theaters; $533 average; $243,216 total
  • Manmarziyaan: Week 4; $638 from one theater; $563,015 total

Sources: 143 Cinema and Bollywood Hungama

Opening October 5: Andhadhun and Loveyatri

Two new Bollywood movies release in Chicago area theaters on October 5, 2018. First up is Andhadhun, a thriller with a dynamite cast that includes Ayushmann Khurrana, Radhika Apte, and Tabu.

Andhadhun opens Friday at MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 30 min.

The weekend’s other new release is Loveyatri, which was called Loveratri until a couple of weeks ago. It marks the film debuts of Warina Husssain and Salman Khan’s brother-in-law.

Loveyatri opens Friday at all three of the above theaters. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 20 min.

After a good opening weekend, Sui Dhaaga: Made in India carries over for a second week at all three of the above theaters, plus the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, Regal Round Lake Beach Stadium 18 in Round Lake Beach, Marcus Addison Cinema in Addison, AMC Showplace Naperville 16 in Naperville, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge.

The South Barrington 24 holds onto Stree and Batti Gul Meter Chalu, while MovieMax allots Pataakha two showings over the weekend.

On Thursday, October 11, director Vishal Bhardwaj will be in Chicago for a screening and panel discussion of his brilliant Hamlet adaptation Haider as part of the Chicago International Film Festival. The screening starts at 4:30 p.m., and tickets are just $8.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend:

Bollywood Box Office: September 28-30, 2018

Sui Dhaaga: Made in India had the eighth-best opening weekend for a Hindi film in North America this year. From September 28-30, 2018, the drama earned $582,006 from 193 theaters ($3,016 average), according to Box Office Mojo. Given Sui Dhaaga‘s high theater count, one might’ve predicted an even higher total, but this was an especially competitive weekend for Indian films in North America, with new Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu titles posting big numbers as well.

The weekend’s other new Hindi release — Pataakha — buckled under the pressure, earning $36,483 from 54 theaters ($676 average), according to Bollywood Hungama. Writer-director Vishal Bhardwaj’s previous North American box office low was 7 Khoon Maaf, which earned $164,153 from 65 theaters ($2,525 average) in its opening weekend in 2011. Perhaps the fact that Pataakha opened on fewer screens than 7 Khoon Maaf did seven years ago indicates tempered expectations for the new release on the part of the distributors.

As has been the case for more than a month, the most interesting story from the weekend is still Stree. In its fifth weekend of release, it earned $26,113 from 15 theaters ($1,741) — just $540 less than Batti Gul Meter Chalu did in its second weekend ($26,653 from 40 theaters; $666 average)! Stree beat Manmarziyaan, which took in $18,938 from 19 theaters ($997 average) in its third weekend of release. Total earnings for all three films are as follows: Stree = $819,457; Manmarziyaan = $556,312; Batti Gul Meter Chalu = $235,526.

Sources: Bollywood Hungama and Box Office Mojo

Opening September 28: Sui Dhaaga and Pataakha

Two intriguing new Hindi movies open in Chicago area theaters on September 28, 2018. The Yash Raj Films comedy-drama Sui Dhaaga: Made in India stars Anushka Sharma and Varun Dhawan and is directed by Dum Laga Ke Haisha‘s Sharat Katariya.

Sui Dhaaga opens Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, Regal Round Lake Beach Stadium 18 in Round Lake Beach, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, Marcus Addison Cinema in Addison, Century Stratford Square in Bloomingdale, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, AMC Showplace Naperville 16 in Naperville, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 30 min.

Also new on Friday is Haider director Vishal Bhardwaj’s Pataakha (“Firecracker“), starring Dangal‘s Sanya Malhotra and debutant Radhika Madan as a pair of feuding sisters.

Pataakha opens Friday at MovieMax, South Barrington 24, and Cantera 17. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 14 min.

Batti Gul Meter Chalu gets a second week at MovieMax, South Barrington 24, and Cantera 17. The South Barrington 24 and Cantera 17 both hold onto Manmarziyaan, while Stree gets a fifth week at MovieMax and the South Barrington 24.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend:

Bollywood Box Office: September 21-23, 2018

Batti Gul Meter Chalu had an okay opening weekend in North America. From September 21-23, 2018, the social issue picture earned $139,365 from 73 theaters ($1,909 average), according to Bollywood Hungama.

Manmarziyaan is closing in on half a million dollars in North America after second-weekend earnings of $101,797 from 79 theaters ($1,289 average) brought its total to $489,414. The less said the better about another film in its second weekend of release: Mitron, which earned $874 from four theaters ($219 average). Its total earnings stand at $11,354 — fourth worst for the year so far.

The big story remains the continuing box office success of Stree, which added another $60,534 from 27 theaters over the weekend ($2,242 average). Of the 25 Hindi films to last four weeks in North American theaters this year, Stree is one of six films to earn more than $50,000 in its fourth weekend of release. If it follows the trend of those other five movies, it should earn more than $10,000 next weekend and stick around for at least another three weeks, if only in a handful of theaters. Stree‘s total earnings stand at $769,438. An $800,000 final tally is doable.

Gold stuck around for a sixth weekend in one theater, earning $596 to bring its total to $1,129,092.

Source: Bollywood Hungama

Opening September 21: Batti Gul Meter Chalu

Shahid Kapoor, Yami Gautam, and Shraddha Kapoor star in the social issue picture Batti Gul Meter Chalu, opening in Chicago area theaters on September 21, 2018.

Batti Gul Meter Chalu opens Friday at MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 41 min.

Manmarziyaan gets a second week at all three of the above theaters. Stree carries over at the South Barrington 24 and MovieMax, which also holds onto Mitron for a second week.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend: