Box Office

Kaho Na... steady at 90
The box-office has had yet another dull and drab week, business-wise. Even the Sanjay Dutt-Manisha Koirala starrer, Kauff, had a lack-lustre opening last week, despite the bumper publicity and media hype.

The collections of other recent releases have been hardly any better, except, of course, for Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Na... Pyar Hai, which remained rock-steady in its sixth week at 90 per cent in Mumbai. Trade circles keep attributing them poor collections to the examination season in schools and colleges. How, then, do they explain the steady performance of Kaho Na...?

The Maithili film, Sasta Jingi Mahag Sindoor, the screenings of which were affected when released in Bihar, was released on the Mumbai circuit last Friday.

Hey! Ram
Kamal Hassan’s charisma hasn’t seemed to work with the masses, this time, unlike with his previous release, Chachi 420. Hey! Ram had collections of 85 per cent in Mumbai and 64 per cent in Delhi in its first week. The second week has been no better for the movie.

Badal
The film has done fairly well in UP, East Punjab, Nizam and Bihar. In the third week, it had collections of 65 per cent in Mumbai.

Pukar
Unfortunately, the film has not fared too well at the box-office. The collections in the third week were as low as 45 per cent. And in its fourth week, it has failed to improve on its collections.

Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani
The film’s collections have further dipped from 45 per cent in the fifth week to 40 per cent in Mumbai in its sixth week.

This Week:
There are no big releases lined up for this week, with most big-time producers holding back releases on account of the exam fever. Opening this week is Naya Gupt Gyan.

Krodh, starring Sunil Shetty is due on March 17, as also is the Mithun Chakraborty movie, Sultan.

The release dates of Hera Pheri, featuring Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty and Tabu in the lead, and Le Chal Apne Sang, with an all-new cast, have not been finalised as yet.

MSM Desai