Tag Archives: Drishyam

Streaming Video News: July 6, 2020

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I updated my list of Bollywood movies on Netflix with the addition of the Hindi sports drama Penalty, as well as the return of about two dozen Viacom 18 films that had expired from the service over the last several months. Here’s what’s back:

I also updated my list of Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime with about a dozen Indian titles added over the weekend, including the 2020 Punjabi film Jaga Jagravan Joga.

Today, Hotstar unveiled the trailer for Sushant Singh Rajput’s final film, Dil Bechara, which releases globally on the streaming service on July 24. This one’s gonna be tough:

Streaming Video News: April 23, 2020

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I updated my list of Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime with dozens of Indian films added in the last week, including the 2020 Tamil releases God Father and Sandimuni and the Vicky Kaushal horror flick Bhoot: Part 1 — The Haunted Ship. The Taapsee Pannu social issue drama Thappad is now coming to Prime on May 1.

I also updated my list of Bollywood movies on Netflix with the addition of Dulquer Salmaan’s 2020 Malayalam release Varane Avashyamund, the 2019 Tamil film Kolaiyuthir Kaalam, and the new stand-up comedy special Yours Sincerely, Kanan Gill. I also included Chris Hemsworth’s new action flick Extraction in the list because it features Bollywood actors Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, and Priyanshu Painyuli.

More than 30 Indian movies will expire from Netflix on May 1, so catch these while you can:

[Disclaimer: all of my Amazon links include an affiliate tag, and I may earn a commission on purchases made via those links. Thanks for helping to support this website!]

Streaming Video News: May 1, 2017

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I updated my list of Bollywood movies on Netflix with a ton of new additions to the catalog. More than thirty titles were added today, some for the first time (like Tanu Weds Manu) and some after a prolonged absence (like Kahaani). In addition to the Bengali film Abby Sen, the TV show Ramayan, and the documentaries Fire in the Blood, Mostly Sunny, and Saeed Mirza: The Leftist Sufi, the following Hindi movies are now available for streaming:

For everything else new on Netflix (Bollywood or not), check Instant Watcher.

Bollywood Box Office: September 11-13

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It’s hard to launch new Bollywood stars abroad, as confirmed by the opening weekend returns of Hero. During the weekend of September 11-13, 2015, Hero earned $57,407 from 52 US and Canadian theaters ($1,104 average).

The most direct comparison for the debuts of Sooraj “Son of Aditya” Pancholi and Athiya “Daughter of Suniel” Shetty is last year’s Heropanti, which launched Tiger “Son of Jackie” Shroff. Heropanti‘s launch was more modest, opening in just 20 theaters, from which it earned $31,556. Its $1,578 average is quite a bit better than Hero‘s, especially considering that Salman Khan was heavily involved in Hero‘s marketing.

The weekend’s other new release of note in the States, Meet the Patels, got off to a monstrous start. From five theaters, it earned $75,597, for a per-screen average of $15,119. It will expand into more theaters in the coming weeks.

Welcome Back‘s continued success reminds us that the reason there are so many sequels in Bollywood (and Hollywood) is because they make money. In its second weekend in North American theaters, the followup to 2007’s Welcome earned another $222,273 from 125 theaters ($1,778 average). Its total earnings of $1,234,179 rank it fifth for the year. Of the three Bollywood sequels to release here in 2015, ABCD 2 is presently the lowest ranked at sixth place.

Phantom has all but disappeared from the charts, earning just $9,973 from 18 theaters ($554 average) in its third weekend of release. Its total North American earnings stand at $487,978.

In its ninth weekend, Bajrangi Bhaijaan earned $6,261 from six theaters ($1,044 average), bringing its total to $8,110,964. Drishyam took in another $1,701 from three theaters ($567 average), bringing its seven-week total to $739,005.

Sources: Box Office Mojo and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Opening September 11: Hero and Meet the Patels

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Two new movies of interest to Bollywood fans hit Chicago area theaters on September 11, 2015. The Salman Khan production Hero features the big screen debuts of star kids Sooraj Pancholi (son of Aditya Pancholi) and Athiya Shetty (daughter of Suniel Shetty).

Hero opens on Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 25 min.

The weekend’s other new release is the hilarious documentary Meet the Patels. It follows actor Ravi Patel as his parents try to find him a suitable potential bride. I really, really like this movie.

Meet the Patels opens on Friday at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago and the South Barrington 30. As added incentive, the Patel parents will be holding in-person Q&A sessions after the Friday evening show at the Music Box and the Saturday evening show at the South Barrington 30. Meet the Patels opens in more and more theaters over the coming weeks, so click here for a list of locations and release dates. The movie has a runtime of 1 hr. 28 min. Seriously, go see it.

Welcome Back carries over for a second week at all of the theaters carrying Hero, plus the Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, Regal Round Lake Beach Stadium 18 in Round Lake Beach, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge.

The South Barrington 30 also holds over Phantom, Drishyam, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and the Hindi-dubbed version of Baahubali.

Other Indian movies playing in the Chicago area this weekend include Bhale Bhale Magadivoi (Telugu w/English subtitles) at Muvico Rosemont 18 in Rosemont, and Cinemark at Seven Bridges in Woodridge, and MovieMax, which also carries Kunjiramayanam (Malayalam), Yatchan (Tamil), Paayum Puli (Tamil), Thani Oruvan (Tamil), and RangiTaranga (Kannada).

Bollywood Box Office: September 4-6

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The big success of Welcome Back in North America taught me to never underestimate the importance of two things: long holiday weekends and Canadians. From September 4-6, 2015, Welcome Back earned $702,290 from 149 theaters ($4,713 average).

More than 20% of Welcome Back‘s earnings came from just 14 Canadian theaters. The per-screen average in that country was $10,600, compared to $4,103 per screen in the US. Both countries celebrated Labor Day on Monday, September 7, significantly boosting Sunday’s returns. Box Office Mojo lists Welcome Back‘s four-day total as $891,435.

Despite the big opening weekend numbers, I have doubts about Welcome Back‘s longevity. As of the Tuesday afternoon after its release, it has fewer than 1,200 user ratings at IMDb. At this website, my review of Welcome Back has garnered less attention than my reviews of All Is Well or Bangistan did at similar stages of release, and those were flops. Welcome Back was likely just a way to pass the time during the last long weekend of summer. Expect its business to drop significantly next weekend.

Other Hindi movies still in North American theaters include:

  • Phantom: Week 2; $82,713 from 83 theaters; $997 average; $441,509 total
  • Bajrangi Bhaijaan: Week 8; $14,970 from eight theaters; $1,871 average; $8,098,675 total
  • Drishyam: Week 6; $5,585 from three theaters; $1,862 average; $735,432 total
  • Brothers: Week 4; $2,482 from three theaters; $827 average; $673,854 total

Source: Box Office Mojo and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Opening September 4: Welcome Back

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After eight years, Welcome‘s gangster brothers — played by Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar — return to the big screen for Welcome Back. The sequel opens in Chicago area theaters on September 4, 2015.

Welcome Back opens on Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Regal Gardens Stadium 1-6 in Skokie, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, Regal Round Lake Beach Stadium 18 in Round Lake Beach, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Loews Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. (Is there really big enough demand for a Welcome sequel to warrant opening in seven Chicago area theaters? I’m skeptical.) It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 35 min.

Phantom gets a second week at the River East 21, MovieMax, South Barrington 30, and Cantera 17.

All Is Well carries over for a third week at MovieMax.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan sticks around for an amazing eighth week at the South Barrington 30, which also holds over Drishyam and the Hindi-dubbed version of Baahubali.

Also on Friday, Learning to Drive continues its run at the River East 21, Century Centre Cinema in Chicago, and Century 12 Evanston/Cinearts 6 in Evanston, and opens at the AMC Northbrook Court 14 in Northbrook, Regal Lincolnshire Stadium 21 in Lincolnshire, South Barrington 30, and Cantera 17.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend include:

Bollywood Box Office: August 28-30

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Phantom turned in a fine opening weekend in North America. From August 28-30, 2015, it earned $260,712 from 107 theaters ($2,437 average). It opened in the eleventh highest number of theaters for a Bollywood film this year and earned the twelfth largest opening weekend gross, so there you go.

Other Hindi films still showing in North American theaters:

  • Bajrangi Bhaijaan: Week 7; $27,399 from 19 theaters; $1,442 average; $8,069,305 total
  • All Is Well: Week 2; $13,392 from 25 theaters; $536 average; $124,567 total
  • Brothers: Week 3; $11,442 from 18 theaters; $636 average; $662,749 total
  • Drishyam: Week 5; $10,672 from eight theaters; $1,334 average; $726,706 total
  • Baahubali (Hindi-dubbed): Week 6; $6,434 from six theaters; $1,072 average; $583,354 total

Source: Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Opening August 28: Phantom

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The Bollywood terrorism thriller Phantom — starring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif — opens in Chicago area theaters on August 28, 2015.

Phantom opens on Friday at MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 28 min.

All Is Well carries over for a second week at all of the above theaters.

The rest of the South Barrington 30’s weekend Hindi lineup includes Brothers, Drishyam, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and the dubbed version of Baahubali.

Also opening in limited release on Friday is Learning to Drive, starring Ben Kingsley as a Sikh driving instructor who helps Patricia Clarkson find her independence following the breakup of her marriage. Learning to Drive opens at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, Century Centre Cinema in Chicago, and the Century 12 Evanston/Cinearts 6 in Evanston on Friday, before expanding into suburban theaters in the coming weeks.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend include:

Bollywood Box Office: August 21-23

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All Is Well turned in an unspectacular opening weekend in North American theaters. From August 21-23, 2015, it earned $74,033 from 55 theaters ($1,346 average).

While one might have expected more from a movie starring Rishi Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan, the results are typical for a Bollywood movie opening in fewer than 70 theaters. About half of all Hindi films released in the US and Canada last year — 25 films, not counting The Lunchbox — opened on fewer than 70 screens, and only six of them earned more than $75,000 in their opening weekend. This year, just two of the ten Bollywood films to open in fewer than 70 theaters passed that threshold: Hamari Adhuri Kahani ($94,005) and the surprise hit NH10 ($143,209). The low opening weekend theater count suggests that distributors weren’t expecting much from All Is Well, and the movie met those expectations.

In its second weekend, Brothers‘ business fell by about 75% from its opening weekend. It earned $90,284 from 129 theaters ($700 average), bringing its North American total to $607,945.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan, on the other hand, held strong in its sixth week. It took in $65,911 from 34 theaters ($1,939 average), bringing its total to $8,009,524.

Drishyam also remained popular, earning another $26,162 from 15 theaters ($1,744 average). Its total stands at $709,794.

Source: Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama