Kabir Khan’s New York has finally managed to break the dry spell after the producer-multiplex strike. According to multiplex representatives, the film has opened to a great response across the city. According to a YRF release, the film has grossed Rs 35 crore worldwide in the first three days. The fact that the film had a fresh casting of John Abraham, Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh seems to have made a difference to the revenues.
New York provided the much-needed relief to the multiplex owners after Vashu Bhagnani’s Kal Kissne Dekha and Mukta Art’s Paying Guests failed to create a stir at the box-office. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “The opening across the country has been good with metros like Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru doing exceptionally well. The evening shows are housefull while occupancy was full also for all shows on Friday and Saturday.
Though it is an issue-based film, the theatres were packed, which means that there is an audience for these kind of films too. It is a good sign for film makers that people are now open to experimentation.”
Surprisingly there is not a single, clear favourite among the audience as all three of them have their own fan followings. Girish Wankhede, DGM for Cinemax, Mumbai says, “New York is not exactly a commercial film but despite that the occupancy on weekends has been phenomenal. The occupancy was around 55 to 60 per cent as Friday afternoon was a bit of a lull because of the rains but it picked up pace by evening. We have 12 shows at Cinemax, Versova and all of them are running packed to their capacities. We have a show every one hour from 12 noon onwards. The response to the film has been exceptionally good in Bandra, Andheri and Thane. If it sustains beyond a week we will keep fixed, lesser number of shows along with the new releases.”
At Inox too, the occupancy levels were around 85 percent with 8 shows a day. While Big Cinemas had an occupancy level of 61 percent on weekends, the opening across the country was average. The film has also done well in single-screen theatres. At Gaiety and Maratha Mandir, all four shows on the weekends were housefull. Manoj Desai, Manager, G-7 multiplex, says that New York worked because of the time of its release. “We didn’t have a single person coming to the theatres from the past 3 months and now all shows are housefull. We are now looking forward to the other big releases of the year.”
Though there were no advance bookings observed, Wankhede says that it is nothing unusual. “With multiplexes coming up in malls, the concept of advance bookings has gone for a toss. All multiplexes have shows every hour and people get tickets easily.”
It will be interesting to see if New York sustains itself with Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kambakkht Ishq releasing on July 3 followed by Shortkut, Jashnn, Luck and Love Aaj Kal.