Around the World Box Office Roundup

It was the first time this year an Indian movie, the romantic action drama Om Shanti Om led the foreign box office.

As the rest of the world saw the box office sag before the holiday movies hit full swing, India awoke and supplied the globe's two top grossers for the weekend.

The second most populous nation celebrated Deepavali (or the Hindu Festival of Light) over the weekend, which sent most people to the cinemas.

The romantic action drama Om Shanti Om led the way with $18.2 million from 17 markets. It was the first time this year an Indian movie led the foreign box office. The picture tabulated an estimated $15.5 million in its native land while also grabbing $1.1 million from just 52 screens in the United Kingdom.

In second place was the musical Saawariya, which made $13.3 million over the weekend from 12 territories, with $12.4 million of that coming from India alone.

In third place, Lions for Lambs grabbed $10.3 million from a near worldwide launch. While failing to top the charts in nearly all of its markets, the war drama mustered a decent collective opening that was relatively better than its American debut, but suggested a sub-$50 million finish. In Australia, it nabbed a second-place $840,740 from 248 screens and ranked sixth in Germany ($1 million from 300 screens) and the U.K. ($1.4 million from 404 screens).

Conor Bresnan, BoxOfficeMojo.com

Om Shanti Om ahead of Aamir Khan's Rang De Basanti

Six-pack Shak Rukh and dazzling Deepika have won over Calcutta Inc. Going into Week Two, Om Shanti Om — on track to break many a box office record, if the first week is any indication — has set a new benchmark for block bookings.

Almost 20 companies queued up at the two INOX multiplexes in the first week to buy tickets in bulk for Farah Khan’s tribute to the 70s. Week Two will be even better with 19 companies snapping up seats for their employees at INOX Forum and City Centre as soon as advances opened on Wednesday. The number looks set to cross a score by the time the reels roll on Friday.

“The response to Om Shanti Om from corporate houses is unprecedented. Even in the second week, the number of block bookings hasn’t dipped,” says Vikas Syal, the regional general manager of INOX.

The scene is no different at the other multiplexes. “The number of bulk bookings for Om Shanti Om in the first week has been extremely encouraging. In the second week, too, we have a number of companies queuing up,” says a spokesperson for Fame.

The demand for a dose of OSO magic spans the corporate spectrum — from banks to telecom companies to financial institutions. The block booking figures has thrust OSO ahead of Sanjay Dutt-Vidya Balan period piece Parineeta and Aamir Khan’s Rang De Basanti, which also had corporate houses buying seats in bulk.

The corporate boost at the box office for OSO has left Saawariya out in the cold. The much-hyped Sanjay Leela Bhansali film is a distant second with five block bookings at the two INOXes for Week Two.

“Saawariya may have drawn individuals and small groups in the first week, but it is nowhere close to Om Shanti Om in terms of block bookings,” confirms Syal of INOX.

TheTelegraph.com

SRK + Diwali + Big hype = Big bucks!

The volume of business that the two films -- Om Shanti Om and Saawariya -- did from Friday to Sunday clearly indicates that the market has grown [and continues to grow] manifold.

The booty amassed by Om Shanti Om especially proves that SRK + Diwali + big hype = big bucks!

But once the initial hype settles down, it's the content that does the talking. Let's look at what the actual scenario is, as on this date…

Om Shanti Om opened to huge numbers. The first weekend was incredible and post-Monday, it continues to gross 75%-85% collections. Now that's an achievement! In today's times, the actual examination begins on Monday. A fabulous start for a film that has been released with excessive prints is akin to winning half the battle, but if the film maintains the pace [40%-50% +] on weekdays [Monday to Thursday], it indicates that the film is on its way to become a big grosser.

A section of the industry was of the opinion that Om Shanti Om might totter from Monday onwards, given the fact that too many prints were in circulation to encash on the Diwali vacations, but Om Shanti Om continued its glorious ride on Monday [85% +], Tuesday [75% +] and Wednesday [70% +].

The guessing game has begun. Will Mumbai cross 15? Or 17? [distributor’s overall share]. Will Delhi-UP be 10? Or 12? Or 14? What about Overseas? What will the theatrical as well as non-theatrical revenue be? It’s a tad too early to jump at figures, but one thing is crystal clear -- Om Shanti Om ranks amongst SRK’s biggest hits. The figures corroborate that, don’t they?

The Lullas of Eros, who acquired the rights for a phenomenal amount, haven't stopped laughing ever since Om Shanti Om released. Their confidence in the film paid off and how!

Now let's look at Saawariya. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a brand and coupled with the fact that it stars two star-kids and was timed during Diwali, the opening numbers were truly impressive at most places. But the reports being negative went against the film. The reactions of cinegoers on all prominent TV channels on Friday were an eye-opener. I've to admit, the common man is a much harsher critic than most critics these days.

And the cracks started showing as days progressed. While the first weekend numbers were generally good, the film fell from Monday onwards. Not just at single screens, but also at multiplexes. In fact, the negative word of mouth reflected in the box-office collections as even multiplexes came down to 20%-30% collections on weekdays. Now that's quite a fall!

SLB is going around town bad-mouthing the media for the negative reviews his film has garnered. SLB is truly a genius, a great film-maker [I maintain that, despite his caustic comments against me in a leading daily], but I'd request him to visit any movie hall close to his residence/office and check the occupancy himself.

Also, if you cannot face the heat, don't enter the kitchen. In today's times, from a car that hits the roads to a toothpaste that's launched to a dosa in a dining place -- everything gets reviewed in newspapers/TV channels/Internet.

Saawariya is the creation of a master film-maker and was bound to be scrutinized by the media. So why this hullabaloo?

Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM

Shah Rukh calls Deepika the star of OSO

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is credited with the healthy box-office run of "Om Shanti Om”, has attributed the film’s success to debutant actress Deepika Padukone.

Khan, 42, is seen in every frame of the film either pulling off hilarious antics or flaunting his six-pack. His shirtless song-and-dance sequence has been one of the main reasons behind the film’s success.

The actor, however, says the main attraction of the film is his co-star Padukone, a model and daughter of India's renowned badminton player Prakash Padukone.

"Om Shanti Om" is the story of a struggling junior actor who is killed. He is reborn to become a star who goes on to seek the killer and his lady love (Padukone) from the previous birth.

"The star of the film is Deepika. She has done a great job in the film. We all tried to outdo her by our performance but she has managed to beat us all," Khan said during an event held late on Wednesday in Mumbai.

"Her acting in the film is excellent and she has the potential to become a great actress in the future."

Seven days into its release "Om Shanti Om" is still running to packed theatres across India. Analysts say the popularity of Bollywood's most bankable actor will see the film set new records in box office collections.

in.reuters.com

SRK's special treat on Children's Day

Shah Rukh Khan and the Om Shanti Om gang were at Mumbai’s Gaity cinema hall to attend a special show organised for underprivileged children.

"I love children and wanted these children to see the film because it has humourous angles too. We keep on doing such events for children,” said Shah Rukh.

"It was amazing spending time with these children. As a child I was very good in sports,” said Deepika Padukone.

A smile on the kids’ faces, stars in their eyes and getting to see Shah Rukh Khan in person: surely, they couldn’t have asked for a better Children’s Day party.

IBNlive.com

SRK Bids for IPL Franchise

Among the top names doing the rounds for responding to the BCCI's offer of franchise for owning cricket teams in the IPL are Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and industrialist Lord Swaraj Paul. The media has already reported a list of interested bidders who include Anil Ambani and Vijay Mallya.

"Shah Rukh Khan has bid for a franchise," a top BCCI official has told IANS.

The official has also stated Paul as one among the 90 bidders.


Mumbai, the game's hub and home to the BCCI headquarters, and Delhi, where the board was formed in 1928, are amongst the big favourites with bidders.

Meanwhile, PTI has reported that the BCCI has ruled out any current player from having "a stake in a company owning any of the teams." Incidently, a leading business daily had reported that Sachin Tendulkar was in talks for a joint bid with the Kishore Biyani-promoted Future Group.

A final decision on the teams, the league format and other related issues would be taken up at the IPL governing council meeting on 17 November in Jaipur.

IPL will comprise 56 matches in Twenty20 format. It has already pocketed many of the world's top cricketers like Australia's Shane Warne and Glenn McGarth, South Africa's captain Graeme Smith, New Zealand's Stephen Fleming and Pakistan's Mohammed Yousuf.

IPL will feature eight teams, with each playing home and away games against the others. After the league matches, the top four teams will play in the semi-finals with the grand final scheduled towards April-end.

Each franchise/team will have a squad of 16 players registered with the BCCI and drawn from its central contract pool. Each team will also feature under-21 players and those from the BCCI's annual contract.

IndianTelevision.com