Finally, the stage is set for diwali releases
The pre-Diwali releases have not brought any luck to the distribution and exhibition trade. The previous week saw the release of three dubbed films - Secret Honeymoon, Pyasi Padosan and Ek Haseen Katil. Their box-office performances have levt a lot to be desired. But the trade sector is dreaming of super-duper hits with Yash Chopra’s Mohabbatein and Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir. Both films have raised high expectations not only in the trade sector but also among the public. The two biggies should and must do extraordinary business all over India if the trade has to recover from the series of flops it has witnessed over the last nine months. For two weeks these two big-budget and big banner films will have no competition from any other films since no big budget film is due for release. So they will have no reason to complain if they fail to enthuse the audience.

Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rahta Hai
The response to the film has been poor everywhere. It did 88 per cent business in Mumbai in the first week but in Delhi its collections were at 42 per cent, 48 per cent in Calcutta, 50 per cent in Allahabad, 56 per cent in Hyderabad, 54 per cent in Pune and 38 per cent in Jaipur.

The other releases like Kali Pahadi, X-Men (dubbed) and Miss Bambola (dubbed) did not fetch better returns either. The last mentioned film netted 51 per cent in Mumbai.

Shikhari
The film failed to improve upon its first week’s modest collections of 54 per cent in Mumbai. In the second week in Mumbai, it collected 34 per cent while it registered 18 per cent in Delhi, 20 per cent in Allahabad, 26 per cent in Hyderabad and 71 per cent in Jaipur.

Aaghaaz
D Rama Naidu’s remake from his own Telugu hit has let him down. Though it collected 80 per cent in Mumbai in the first week, in the second week it managed to collect only 46 per cent. In Delhi it collected 20 per cent, 27 per cent in Calcutta, 23 per cent in Pune, 20 per cent in Allahabad and 39 per cent in Nagpur.

Astitva
Though the film registered 83 per cent collections in Mumbai in its first week, the figures took a nosedive to 45 per cent in the second week.

Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar
The film is an utter flop. Its second week collections were 18 per cent in Mumbai.

Dhai Akshar Prem Ke
In its third week the film collected 31 per cent in Mumbai.

This Week
Releasing this week, as mentioned earlier, are Yash Chopra’s Mohabbatein and Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir. Also hitting the screens on Diwali day are Daku Kali Bhavani, Jallad No 1, Dinosaur (dubbed) and Maut Ka Jhal Jhala.

Ghayal is being revived with a tax free tag at three cinemas in Mumbai — Capitol, Jai Hind and Kohinoor.

Life is Beautiful is the Diwali attraction for the English audience. It has won three Academy awards.

MSMD