Tag Archives: Simmba

Bollywood Box Office: February 15-17, 2019

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I’ve missed a few North American box office reports in recent weeks due to some family health problems, so let’s catch up on the big stories:

Gully Boy just had a monster opening weekend, bringing in $1,833,035 from 255 theaters ($7,188 average) from February 15-17, 2019, according to Bollywood Hungama. Including opening day returns from February 14 makes its total officially $2,129,483, but Monday’s Presidents Day holiday in the United States surely pushed that past the $2.5 million mark.

What the heck is going on with Uri: The Surgical Strike? It just finished its sixth weekend in North America with earnings of $169,506 from 51 theaters ($3,324 average), per Box Office Mojo. Wanna know how many 2018 releases earned more than $100K in their sixth weekend? Zero. Uri‘s continued popularity is remarkable. It closed out the weekend with total earnings of $3,958,534, but it’s past $4 million now thanks to Monday’s holiday.

On the flip side, Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga fell off FAST. With Uri still making good money for exhibitors, Ek Ladki dropped 150 theaters going into its third weekend in order to make room for Gully Boy. As a consequence, Ek Ladki earned just $50,000 from 43 theaters ($1,163 average) over the weekend. With total earnings of $1,172,088 (including Presidents Day), it looks like Ek Ladki will struggle to hit $1.2 million here.

Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi trailed just behind, with $30,625 from 24 theaters ($1,276 average) in its fourth weekend. It has total earnings of $1,358,850 thus far.

Simmba stuck around in one theater, adding $72 to its $5.1 million total.

And while I know Amavas played in at least one US theater over the weekend, I don’t have any earnings numbers for it. Suffice it to say, the numbers would certainly be worse that the horror film’s opening weekend last weekend: $606 from seven theaters ($87 average). Truly terrifying.

Sources: Bollywood Hungama and Box Office Mojo

Opening January 25: Manikarnika and Thackeray

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Two new Hindi films hit Chicago area theaters on January 26, 2019. The wider release of the two goes to Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, starring Kangana Ranuat. In response to right-wing threats leveled against the period drama, Ranaut said: “If they don’t stop then they should know I am also a Rajput and I will destroy each one of them.” Awesome.

Manikarnika opens Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC Rosemont 18 in Rosemont, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, Marcus Addison Cinema in Addison, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Naperville 16 in Naperville. MovieMax is also showing the film in Telugu and Tamil at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Manikarnika has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 53 min.

The weekend’s other new release is Thackeray, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the far-right political leader Bal Thackeray.

Thackeray also opens Friday at MovieMax, Cantera 17, and the AMC Niles 12 in Niles. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 10 min.

Uri: The Surgical Strike carries over for a third week at the River East 21, MovieMax, Rosemont 18, South Barrington 24, Cantera 17, and the AMC Woodridge 18 in Woodridge.

The South Barrington 24 also holds over The Accidental Prime Minister and Simmba.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend:

Bollywood Box Office: January 18-20, 2019

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Uri: The Surgical Strike built on a good first weekend in North America and turned out an even better second weekend. After adding 16 theaters for the weekend of January 18-20, 2019, Uri earned $839,991 from 117 theaters ($7,179 average), according to Box Office Mojo. Those earnings are up about 33% from last weekend, bringing its total earnings thus far to $1,797,969. But, as film critic Josh Hurtado tweeted, don’t expect this impressive feat to garner any attention from mainstream publications in North America.

Simmba held on to second place among Hindi releases in North America, earning $140,441 from 70 theaters ($2,006 average) and bringing its total to $4,981,911 by the end of its fourth weekend. Its earnings from Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday surely pushed it past the $5 million mark.

Last weekend’s other new release — The Accidental Prime Minister — earned $122,703 from 38 theaters ($1,629 average), according to Bollywood Hungama, bringing its total to $217,911.

Sources: 143 Cinema, Bollywood Hungama, and Box Office Mojo

In Theaters: January 18, 2019

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Why Cheat India didn’t make the journey overseas, but there are still three Hindi films showing in Chicago area theaters the weekend beginning Friday, January 18, 2019. After a very good opening weekend, Uri carries over at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Woodridge 18 in Woodridge.

The Accidental Prime Minister gets a second week at MovieMax and the South Barrington 24.

Simmba holds over for a fourth week at MovieMax, South Barrington 24, Cantera 17, and Woodridge 18.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend:

Bollywood Box Office: January 11-13, 2019

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The first two new Hindi films of 2019 fared really well in their opening weekend in North America. The wider release of the two — Uri — earned $536,179 from 96 theaters ($5,585 average) during the weekend of January 11-13, according to Bollywood Hungama. Released on about a third as many screens, The Accidental Prime Minister earned $122,703 from 38 theaters ($3,229 average). Those average theater earnings are better than the averages of most of the movies currently in the top ten at the overall North American box office, showing again what a good bet Bollywood movies are for exhibitors.

Simmba continued its impressive run for a third weekend, taking in $318,223 from 136 theaters ($2,340 average), according to Box Office Mojo. That brought its total to $4,717,024.

Other Hindi films still in North American theaters:

  • K.G.F — Chapter 1: Week 4; $3,125 from five theaters; $625 average; $773,813 total
  • Zero: Week 4; $1,022 from three theaters; $341 average; $2,300,528 total

Sources: 143 Cinema, Bollywood Hungama, and Box Office Mojo

Opening January 11: Uri and The Accidental Prime Minister

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The first new Hindi films of 2019 hit Chicago area theaters on January 11. The military drama Uri — starring Vicky Kaushal — gets the wider release of the two.

Uri opens Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville, and AMC Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs 7 min.

Also new this weekend is The Accidental Prime Minister, starring Anupam Kher as former Indian PM Manmohan Singh.

The Accidental Prime Minister opens Friday at MovieMax and the South Barrington 24. It has a listed runtime of 1 hr. 50 min.

Simmba carries over for a third week at the River East 21, MovieMax, South Barrington 24, Cantera 17, Woodridge 18, AMC Niles 12 in Niles, AMC Rosemont 18 in Rosemont, Marcus Addison Cinema in Addison, and AMC Naperville 16 in Naperville.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend:

Bollywood Box Office: January 4-6, 2019

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In its second weekend of release, Simmba earned $1,005,087 from 292 theaters ($3,442 average), according to Box Office Mojo. Its total of $4,115,790 is enough to lock up fourth place at the North American Bollywood box office for 2018 — third place if you exclude multilingual movies like Rajinikanth’s 2.0 and only count exclusively Hindi releases.

Other Hindi and multilingual movies still showing in North America:

  • K.G.F — Chapter 1: Week 3; $57,204 from 56 theaters; $1,022 average; $758,838 total
  • Zero: Week 3; $34,029 from 50 theaters; $681 average; $2,281,052 total
  • Kedarnath: Week 5; $4,014 from two theaters; $2,007 average; $888,152 total
  • 2.0: Week 6; $1,623 from three theaters; $541 average; $5,355,442 total

Sources: Bollywood Hungama and Box Office Mojo