Tag Archives: NH10

Streaming Video News and Site Guide: March 18, 2020

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With an increased amount of traffic to my website in the last couple of weeks, I thought I should give a quick explainer of how Access Bollywood operates for anyone new to the site. First of all, welcome newcomers! I update my lists of Indian movies on Netflix and Indian movies on Amazon Prime every day with new additions to the catalogs and info on upcoming releases and expiration dates, when available. I used to take weekends off, but I’m switching to a 7-day-a-week schedule for the foreseeable future. We need something to keep our spirits up these days, and if I can help alert folks to new movies to watch, I’m gonna do it.

The “Newly Added” section at the top of my Netflix page has all of the Indian movies and series that have been added in the last month, plus international projects that feature prominent Indian actors, like Netflix’s April release Extraction, starring Randeep Hooda and Manoj Bajpayee. Because Amazon Prime adds so many more titles than Netflix every month (75 in the last week alone), all of the new additions from the last seven days are at the top of the “Newly Added” section of my Prime page. Below that are all the 2020 releases added in the last month.

In happy news, Eros Now is offering two free months of streaming if you sign up using the code STAYSAFE. I haven’t used Eros Now in a while, but their catalog is massive, with content across multiple languages as well as original films and series. The only sort option is “Most Popular” — though you can winnow results down by “Language” and “Decade” — so it can be hard to find what you’re looking for. Here are some of my favorite films in the Eros Now catalog (the title links to the movie’s Eros Now page, the star-ranking to my review). Stay safe! — Kathy

Bollywood Box Office: March 24-26, 2017

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Phillauri got off to a solid start in North American theaters. During the weekend of March 24-26, 2017, it earned $259,250 from 87 theaters ($2,980 average; adjusted average of $3,503 from 74 theaters*). A third of that total came from just thirteen Canadian theaters, which accounted for fewer than 20% of the total number of theaters.

As the second production from actress Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Films, Phillauri‘s performance shows the company’s fortunes trending in the right direction. Phillauri opened with almost twice the earnings of the company’s first release, NH10, which earned $143,209 when it opened on 46 screens on March 13, 2015. Granted, NH10 was a violent revenge drama with a more limited potential audience than a family friendly romantic-comedy like Phillauri. Still, Sharma is clearly producing movies that people in North America want to see, so more power to her.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania continued its strong run through a third weekend, earning $139,618 from 105 theaters ($1,330 average; adjusted average of $1,501 from 93 theaters). Its total stands at $1,888,844, putting it in second place for the year so far in North America, behind Raees.

The Ghazi Attack finished its sixth and likely last weekend with $468 from two theaters ($234 average). Its total earnings across all languages are $770,163.

*Bollywood Hungama frequently counts Canadian theaters twice in when they report figures for a film’s first few weeks of release. When possible, I verify theater counts at Box Office Mojo, but I use Bollywood Hungama as my primary source because they provide a comprehensive and consistent — if flawed — data set.

Sources: Box Office Mojo and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Bollywood Box Office: February 19-21

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Neerja debuted with superb numbers in North America. During the weekend of February 19-21, 2016, the biopic earned $619,185 from 88 theaters in the United States and Canada for a terrific per-screen average of $7,036. The first quarter of the year is prime time for female-led dramas, with Neerja following in the footsteps of past successes like: NH10, which opened in March, 2015, with $143,209 from 46 theaters ($3,113 average); Queen — March, 2014, opened with $161,998 from 39 theaters ($4,154 average); and Kahaani — March, 2012, opened with $263,011 from 45 theaters ($5,845 average). Credit to the team behind Neerja for recognizing that there is an appetite for these kinds of films, and that the money and effort spent on promoting them can yield big results from a growing number of theaters.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the weekend’s other new release, Loveshhuda, which is a textbook case for how not to release a movie internationally. Loveshhuda released with absolutely no fanfare in eight theaters in the US and Canada and earned $1,399. That’s an average of $175 per screen (thanks to generous rounding up on my part). There are several lessons to reiterate here. 1) Don’t release a movie starring a couple of nugus — I could stop there — on the same weekend as a buzz-heavy release with an established star. 2) Let people know in advance that you are planning to release the movie, don’t just drop into theaters with no warning. 3) If you don’t think the movie can carry at least 30 theaters in the US and Canada, don’t bother.

Fitoor‘s business fell 86% in its second weekend, taking in $45,157 from 60 theaters ($753 average). Its total stands at $503,316.

In its third weekend, Ghayal Once Again added another $3,761 from five theaters ($752 average) to bring its total to $292,340. The fascinating thing about that total is that nearly half of it — $136,795 — comes from Canada, despite the fact that it never played on more than 13 theaters there. It opened in 67 theaters in the US. Never let anyone question Canada’s devotion to Sunny Deol.

Other Hindi movies still in theaters:

  • Airlift: Week 5; $19,569 from 12 theaters; $1,631 average; $1,843,074 total
  • Bajirao Mastani: Week 10; $1,207 from two theaters; $604 average; $6,563,317 total
  • Sanam Teri Kasam: Week 3; $70 from one theater; $35,796 total

Sources: Box Office Mojo and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Best Bollywood Movies of 2015

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2015 offered up a satisfying mix of sweet, intimate stories and dark thrills and chills. Here are my picks for the best Bollywood movies of 2015. (Click on the title of each movie to read my original review.)

The year ended on a triumphant note with the release of the historical epic romance Bajirao Mastani. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s colorful, lavish style demands to be seen on the big screen.

Two smaller Hindi films that played at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival prove that big budgets aren’t necessary to make a great movie. Haraamkhor and Dhanak depict the struggles of childhood in very different ways, with Dhanak being easily the sweetest film of the year.

Early 2015 saw the release of two great revenge thrillers: Badlapur and NH10. While Badlapur explores the toll that a lingering desire for vengeance takes on a grieving husband (Varun Dhawan), NH10 is a race against the clock for a woman (Anushka Sharma) trying to defeat the men out to kill her.

In contrast to such dark fare, Piku lovingly and humorously explores the tense relationship between an adult daughter (Deepika Padukone) who hits the road with her ailing father (Amitabh Bachchan).

A pair of top-notch crime thrillers also made the list. Talvar‘s unique story structure sets apart this real-life murder mystery. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! put a modern, stylish twist on a classic Indian literary detective.

Dum Laga Ke Haisha is as charming as can be, telling the tale of a loser (Ayushmann Khurrana) rebelling against his marriage to an accomplished woman (Bhumi Pednekar) who fails to fit his beauty standards. So much care went into the story that it is impossible not to fall in love with these young adults trying to grow under enormous family pressure.

My favorite movie of 2015 is a big budget, multi-starrer that nevertheless tells a smart, contemporary family story. Too often, Bollywood spectacle films are “check your brain at the door” affairs, full of bombast but devoid of substance. Director Zoya Akhtar brings together an A-list cast — including Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh, Farhan Akhtar, and Anil Kapoor — for a film that is fun and romantic, but also contains insightful critiques of the respect (or lack thereof) accorded women in modern Indian society. Director Akhtar takes the opportunity this big-budget blockbuster affords her and uses the platform to inform as well as entertain. For that reason, my favorite Hindi film of 2015 is Dil Dhadakne Do.

(Update: I watched Masaan after posting this list. Were I to re-do my rankings, I’d place Masaan in 9th place, between Dhanak and Haraamkhor.)

Kathy’s Top Ten Bollywood Movies of 2015

  1. Dil Dhadakne Do — Buy/rent at iTunes or Amazon
  2. Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Buy/rent at iTunes or Amazon
  3. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! — Buy/rent at iTunes or Amazon
  4. Talvar — Buy at Amazon
  5. Piku — Buy/rent at iTunes or Amazon
  6. NH10 — Buy at Amazon
  7. Badlapur — Buy at Amazon
  8. Dhanak
  9. Haraamkhor
  10. Bajirao Mastani

Previous Best Movies Lists

Bollywood Box Office: April 10-12

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With no new Hindi-language competitors in U.S. theaters during the weekend of April 10-12, 2015, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! continued to perform very well. In its second weekend in theaters, the period thriller earned $158,227 from 80 theaters ($1,978 average), bringing its total U.S. earnings to $579,055. Its business declined just 53.3% from its first weekend to its second, second-best for the year behind NH10‘s 47% decline.

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! would need to earn another $152,000 here in order to overtake Baby as North America’s highest-earning Bollywood release of 2015. Even with good word of mouth, a high IMDb rating of 8.3, and only two likely Hindi releases in the next two weeks — Mr. X and Margarita with a Straw — an additional $152,000 seems unlikely.

Update: Bollywood Hungama posted some additional earnings figures from the weekend. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know about Dharam Sankat Mein‘s limited North American release. It opened in 18 theaters, but only earned $6,580 ($366 average). Yikes.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Hollywood directorial debut Broken Horses didn’t fare much better. It earned just $19,528 from 40 theaters ($488 average). Yikes, again!

In its fifth weekend in theaters, NH10 earned another $1,683 from two theaters ($842 average), bringing its North American total to $319,872.

Sources: Box Office Mojo and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Bollywood Box Office: April 3-5

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Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (DBB, henceforth) is off to a great start in the United States. During the weekend of April 3-5, 2015, it earned $335,550 from 84 theaters (none of which were in Canada, unfortunately). Its per-screen average of $3,994 is the second best opening weekend average of the year behind Baby, which is the only 2015 film to earn more money in its first weekend.

[Box Office Guru reports slightly different numbers for DBB than the Rentrak totals above: $338,637 from 82 theaters, $4,130 average.]

DBB‘s real claim to fame is that it earned more in its first weekend than three other 2015 releases — besides Baby — that opened in more theaters: Shamitabh ($215,512 from 137 theaters), Tevar ($125,908 from 125 theaters), and Badlapur ($225,250 from 92 theaters).

With only the mildest of competition hitting theaters this coming weekend — and with the distinct possibility that no new Hindi films will open in North America at all — DBB has the potential to hold up well through its second weekend. It also helps that DBB is the best film released so far this year. A final total of $650,000 would be great, but reaching Baby‘s $730,288 total seems unlikely.

In its fourth weekend of release, NH10 added another $7,905 from eight theaters ($988 average) to bring its North American total earnings to $316,633.

Source: Box Office Guru and Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

Opening April 3: Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

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Finally, a new Hindi film is coming to Chicago area theaters! Sushant Singh Rajput stars in Detective Byomkesh Baskhy!, releasing April 3, 2015. It looks quite cool.

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! opens on Friday at the AMC Showplace Niles 12 in Niles, 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.

The only other Hindi film showing locally this weekend is NH10, which gets a fourth week at the South Barrington 30.

Other Indian films showing in the Chicago area this weekend include Jil (Telugu w/no subtitles) at the Cinemark at Seven Bridges in Woodridge and MovieMax, which also carries Ennum Eppozhum (Malayalam), Nannbenda (Tamil), Komban (Tamil), and Yevade Subramanyam (Telugu).

Bollywood Box Office: March 27-29

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With only one Hindi movie showing in the United States and Canada, there isn’t much to report in the way of box office figures for the weekend of March 27-29, 2015. In its third weekend, NH10 earned another $26,798 from 23 theaters ($1,165 average). That brings its North American total to $300,793.

The significance of that figure is that NH10 is only the third movie in 2015 to earn more than $300,000 in North America, out of ten Hindi films that have released here theatrically (*I don’t have figures for MSG: The Messenger of God, but I guarantee it earned less than $300,000). Furthermore, NH10 made its money on half the number of max screens (46) as the next highest earner — Badlapur, with $419,836 total and a max screen count of 92 — and less than half the max screens of the year’s highest earner, Baby ($730,288 total, max screens 99).

It’s also worth noting how dull business has been in the first three months of 2015 compared to the first three months of 2014. January-March, 2014, saw the release of sixteen Hindi movies into North American theaters, seven of which earned more than $300,000 (with three of those earning more than $1 million).

The sixteen films released in the first quarter of 2014 earned a total of $10,307,214. That’s an average of $644,201 per film. Even without the huge earnings of the non-traditionally distributed movie The Lunchbox, that’s still $6,319,821 from fifteen traditionally released Bollywood films. By comparison, total earnings from the first quarter of this year stand at $2,359,916. That works out to an average of $262,213 per film.

Granted, 2014 didn’t have a Cricket World Cup to contend with. Still, it’s obvious from the numbers that the films that have shipped out of Bollywood recently aren’t movies that the North American fanbase feels an urgent need to see. Given the titles that are slated for release, I don’t see the trend changing any time soon.

Source: Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama

In Theaters: March 27, 2015

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As expected, there are no new Hindi movies opening in the Chicago area on Friday, March 27, 2015. The great thriller NH10 carries over for a third week at the AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. Might be a good weekend to check out the selection of Bollywood movies on Netflix, no?

Bollywood Box Office: March 20-22

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NH10 had a noteworthy second weekend in North American theaters. From March 20-22, 2015, NH10 earned another $76,122 from 36 theaters ($2,115 average), bringing its total earnings in the United States and Canada to $258,993.

What’s significant about NH10‘s performance is that its second-weekend business only dropped 47% from its opening weekend. It’s the only Hindi film released in 2015 to retain more than half its business from Week 1 to Week 2 (and from ten fewer theaters). Here’s how much business fell from Week 1 to Week 2 for other Bollywood movies released this year:

That’s a good sign for NH10, especially since it’s unlikely to have any new competition in theaters this coming weekend.

Badlapur carried over for a fifth weekend on one U.S. screen, from which it earned $322. That brings its North American total to $419,836.

Source: Rentrak, via Bollywood Hungama