New Delhi: Bringing much needed good news to the Indian film business, Christopher Nolan Beginning It has opened up to decent numbers in India despite the covid-19 situation. The film that is the first major release in Indian cinemas around ₹1.1-1.2 crore in the country on its first day.
Trade website Box Office India said the film has gotten the best response in metropolitan areas such as Mumbai and Bengaluru and that certain IMAX screenings even reached full capacity given that the government has only allowed 50% occupancy in cinemas hereinafter.
To be sure, Beginning It is the first green launch for the struggling exhibition sector in India that has been closed for more than seven months and has yet to release major Bollywood films.
With a screen count of around 750, the John David Washington star arrives in India more than three months after its international release. However, expectations are high and it is clear from the fact that the film had sold around 25,000 tickets during the past weekend when the early booking began. Dubbed the litmus test for the film business in India, Beginning sets the stage for another big Hollywood release later this month, Wonder Woman 1984, all of which help theaters stay afloat in these tough times.
Nolan has undoubtedly established a loyal fan base in India with films like Dunkirk, Interstellar, The dark knight, Start and so. His latest release Dunkirk have done ₹Rs 20.26 crore in India when it launched in 2017.
“We are extremely positive about Beginning. It should be the litmus test to regain consumer confidence and jump-start the recovery of the film business, “said Pramod Arora, director of strategy and growth at PVR Ltd.
Certainly, trade experts like Arora expect titles like Beginning Y Wonder Woman give Bollywood producers the incentive to release new local films that they have been holding back for fear that audiences will not show up in theaters. At last week’s Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, Ajay Bijli, President and Managing Director of PVR Ltd, said that while there are many things in favor of Hollywood movies like Tenet, the real test will only be with movies from High priced Bollywood.
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