RAB NE BANA DI JODI: YRF's highest weekend grosser ever!

RAB NE BANA DI JODI, which released worldwide on December 12th 2008, has broken all earlier opening weekend collection records for Yash Raj Films. The film has grossed approximately Rs. 60 Crores worldwide on its opening weekend, and has surpassed DHOOM:2, which is regarded as one of the highest grossing films of all–time.

In the Middle East, RAB NE BANA DI JODI has set a new record altogether as the highest opening film of all–time. The previous highest was DHOOM: 2, which grossed approximately $1.86 million across its entire run. RAB NE BANA DI JODI has grossed approximately $1 million on its opening weekend alone.

The film has also received a grand opening across all overseas markets, including the UK, USA, Australia, Europe, Africa, and other territories in Asia.

RAB NE BANA DI JODI has been appreciated tremendously by audiences across the board and the film's performance promises to continue in the same vein moving forward.

Rab Ne opens big in North America

The one-man box office engine called Shah Rukh Khan rode into 105 movie theatres across North America grabbing a powerful $1.2 million estimated gross for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in just three days. Working with director Aditya Chopra for the third time after Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Mohabbatein (2000), the star proved once again that his box office magnetism has remained undiminished over the last decade.

The new film -- in which Shah Rukh plays a common man who devises a plot win over the love of his life -- must have easily grossed over $3.5 million in three days outside India, trade experts believe.

For producer Yash Raj, which has suffered many flops in the last two years, the big success of Rab Ne..., following the strong showing of its previous release Dostana, could be considered nothing short of a blessing. And for the trade which has watched helplessly as many big budget films like Yuvvraaj, Drona and Love Story 2050 bit the dust, the strong opening for Rab Ne... seems a nice way to end the year, with good buzz awaiting the release of other big budget films Ghajini and Chandni Chowk To China.

In North America, Rab Ne... was number 15 on the box office chart led by Keanu Reeves' The Day the Earth Stood Still, which grossed $31 million in more than 3500 theatres.

While the reviews in India have been mixed for Rab Ne..., some of the mainstream publications in America welcomed the film, saying that it made much more sense than the usual over hyped and over kinetic Bollywood films.

'In the last few years, Hindi films have become slicker and faster, full of dizzying camera moves and blink-and-you'll-miss-it editing,' wrote Rachel Saltz in The New York Times. 'The technical exuberance is almost always impressive, but it's starting to seem like its own cliche.

'How refreshing, then, to settle into Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, a love story that has a different pace and feel than the recent crop of action thrillers,' she added. 'Rab Ne..., which reteams the director Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood's reigning superstar, is 'soft, sweet and slow,' in the words of one of its songs. It deftly blends comedy, the ruling tone of the new Bollywood, with melodrama, the ruling tone of the old.'

Shah Rukh has proved to be mighty lucky for Yash Raj. He has said that being directed by Chopra is the kind of collaboration he (Shah Rukh) enjoys most.

Many reviewers have praised Chopra's direction, though some in India have also said that the film loses its focus half way and tries to do too many things .

'Mr Chopra demonstrates how a director can master technology without being mastered by it,' wrote The Times. 'For him, storytelling comes first. (The plot has its flaws, but they're not deadly.)

While some of Shah Rukh's biggest hits such as Kabhi Khushi Khabhie Gham have been multistarrers, his new film is solely driven by his star presence. Rab Ne..., which is not an expensive film (made for about $6 million while Ghajini cost nearly $9 million) is looking at least $6 million in North America, Western Europe, UAE and Australia. Even if it were to plummet by 60 percent in the second week, as it happens in the case of most Hindi films, passing the $5 million benchmark in foreign territories will not be a problem at all.

Shah Rukh was generous in praising his Rab Ne... co-star, newcomer Anushka Sharma. In video interviews made available by Yash Raj, he said he found a distinct advantage in working with new artists who happened to be much younger than him. The younger actresses brought in contemporary touch to their performances, said the actor who is in his early 40s.

Watching them emote made him think if he was doing stereotyped work, and pushed him into yet another gear, he added. His recent films have had new actresses -- Deepika Padukone in Om Shanti Om, Gayatri Joshi in Swades and the girls hockey team in Chak De! India.

Shah Rukh Khan magic creates mini-riot in Ulhasnagar

Yes dear friends, only SRK's magic can make miracles happen... And this time, it's a pretty impressive feat, even by Badshah standards.

He's actually made the word 'terror' disappear; from the hearts and minds of people - if not in actual terms (now wouldn't that be the day?). While each and every movie released around and after the recent terror strikes in Mumbai have all but paralyzed the movie-going junta in their home-viewership couches, it is the jadoo of the Khan that has 'un-paralyzed' them into action again. Suddenly, fear of visiting public places like multiplexes, cinema halls and malls seems to have take a backset to viewing Shah Rukh's first release in over a year (if we don't count Bhootnaath) - Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.

The lethal combination of the DDLJ star and director Aditya Chopra, coming together after over seven years (Mohabbatein was their most recent film together) has got the audiences in a tizzy. Add to it a new girl and some dancing sequences and already the theatres are all but full. In fact, trade analysts are surprised at the incredible advance booking the movie has seen. All screens are almost full in advance in the main cities.

While in places like Ulhasnagar, one theatre witnessed a mini riot as over 400 people gathered outside demanding tickets. Suddenly the buzz is the need of the audiences to watch their favourite superstar and not stay rooted in terror in the anticipation of an event.

Well, like we said, it's our stars and our movie magic that eventually unites our nation as one whole - and then any kind of 'terror' can simply disappear. Right SRK?

SRK and his new muse, Anushka Sharma

Shah Rukh Khan is known for never uttering a bad word about anyone. In fact, he is always full of praise and gratitude to God, his family, co-stars, friends and of course, his loyal fan base. The same is for his new muse, the nineteen year old Anushka Sharma. In a recent interview, he was all praise for the debutant.

"To be really honest, when I met Anushka I felt that she's got an amazing amount of confidence...she's a very pretty girl," he said.

In his only major flick that is releasing this year, Shah Rukh plays a simpleton by the name of Suri who believes in hard work and plain living. After working in the industry for over a decade now, Shah Rukh believes that working with the fresh new talent helps him improve his acting skills too.

"I think I am from a different generation and maybe I am getting a little old fangled, maybe I am getting what people call stylized and mannerised in my acting," he explained.

While his fans would gasp at this statement, he believes that Sharma helped him by being different.

"I would say she has kept me on my toes and I think she has done a wonderful job because we really needed a new character for this film."

The promotions had been cut down to a minimum for the last two weeks as the Chopra-Khan tag team did not feel it was correct to publicize their movie with such hoo-haa when the country was mourning over the latest 26/11 attacks. On a happier note, ask him if there really is an Aditya Chopra because he is never seen nor heard. Why the secretive lifestyle?

Of course he laughs before replies, "Well, Adi is a cool guy. He’s always busy with work. He comes back home from work after midnight, at one o’clock maybe and plays games till five in the morning...I know him the best, Karan knows him best of all...but we don’t get to meet him."

SRK is always full of great answers, and definitely knows how to keep his audiences hooked!

Well, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is now out ladies and gentlemen! So do watch it and see if SRK has done justice to his maiden solo release this year.