Dil Dhadakne Do became the first Hindi film of 2015 to earn more than $1 million in North America in its opening weekend. From June 5-7, Dil Dhadakne Do earned $1,287,170 from 259 theaters, an average of $4,970 per screen.
Meanwhile, Tanu Weds Manu Returns inched closer to a $3 million total in the US and Canada. In its third weekend, it took in another $268,736 from 149 theaters ($1,804 average), bringing its total to $2,716,437.
Piku continued its impressive run through its fifth weekend, adding another $22,877 from 12 theaters ($1,906 average) to bring its North American tally to $2,202,585.
In its second weekend in theaters, poor old Welcome 2 Karachi earned just $748 from six theaters ($125 average). Its North American total stands at $35,661.
One new Bollywood film hits Chicago area theaters on June 5, 2015, and it’s a big one: Dil Dhadakne Do (“Let the Heart Beat“). Zoya Akhtar directs an ensemble cast that includes Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Anil Kapoor, and Shefali Shah as a dysfunctional family on a cruise ship that also carries Anushka Sharma and Farhan Akhtar.
Tanu Weds Manu Returns gets a third week at all of the above theaters, except for the Crestwood 18. Piku gets a fifth week at the South Barrington 30, Cantera 17, and MovieMax, which also holds over Welcome 2 Karachi for a second week.
The English-Hindi film Unfreedom — touted for being banned in India — also opens on June 5 at the Goodrich Randall 15 in Batavia. It has a runtime of 1 hr. 42 min. It is my least favorite film of 2015. Click here for a national theater list.
Another release of note this weekend is the restored version of director Satyajit Ray’s The Apu Trilogy. The three Bengali classics start their run on Friday at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Click here for a national theater list.
Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend include Masss (Tamil w/English subtitles) and Pandaga Chesko (Telugu) at the Cinemark at Seven Bridges in Woodridge and MovieMax, which also carries Nee-na (Malayalam) and the Telugu movies Andhra Pori, Asura, and Rakshasudu.
