'Besharam' strategy fails at the box office

What should have been an ideal release strategy turned awry. Ranbir Kapoor's 'Besharam' that released midweek — on Wednesday October 2 — to cash in on a national holiday on account of Gandhi Jayanti, miscalculated its box office reach. The film did fantastic numbers on the first day. Ranbir, who has a mammoth fan following, proved his mettle — both as an actor and a superstar — by delivering the 19.40 cr initial. But, poor content and indifferent music got the numbers down by 40% the very next day. And from then, the film slid until Sunday, barely managing to cash in on the five-day weekend that it had at its disposal. Made on a budget of close to 100 cr, with prints and advertising thrown in, the film will collect a fair sum from the satellite rights. But there reportedly is a rider in the contract, that the satellite price will depend on the box office run. And, since the box office in India and overseas has been a let-down, the variables will change. Case in point is that Besharam collected 14.30 cr (GBOC) from abroad in five days — from nearly 700-odd screens — while 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', Ranbir's earlier release, had collected around 22 cr (GBOC) in the first three days of its overseas release, from a lesser number of screens. Taking the trend into account, 'Besharam's chances of a recovery seem bleak. 'Grand Masti' has not made it to the Rs 100 cr (NBOC) club. It definitely had a windfall at the domestic box office. And it stands tall as the only adults comedy in the 92.13 cr bracket. A distributor says, "'Grand Masti' is still running. But the collections have been reduced to a trickle." Revenues earned from India theatrical after deducting tax Besharam (5 days) = Total 44.25cr Grand Masti (24 days) = Total 92.13 cr