KARACHI: If last Eidul Azha saw a competition between Shaan’s Waar and Akshay Kumar’s Boss at the local box office, this year will witness Shaan and Hrithik Roshan go head to head. The anticipated Shaan-starrer Operation 021 and Hrithik’s Bang Bang are the two major releases this Eid, with Na Maloom Afraad trying to make its presence known amid cut-throat competition.
The word from the Sindh and Punjab circuits is that Bang Bang is the most in-demand film for Eid, followed by Operation 021 and then Na Maloom Afraad.
But the question is, who will get the biggest share of the box office this Eid?
Bang Bang
No of screens: 58 (digital and film)
What’s hot: The film, which released in Pakistan on Thursday, earned a whopping Rs7.5 million on its opening day, the highest business any film has done on a weekday in Pakistan. The great head start led to positive word-of-mouth for the film, with people cueing for its advance Eid booking. Although the male lead is usually the crowd-puller, Katrina Kaif’s stint in a swimsuit in one of the songs may be what will mainly veer the audiences toward Bang Bang. Other than her, people are expected to watch Bang Bang for its solid action sequences.
What’s not: Most exhibitors have given priority to Pakistani films, with Atrium Cinemas in Karachi and CineStar in Lahore have removed Bang Bang from their Eid shows. Other than that, pirated copies of the film have already arrived and there is a fair chance that the audience planning to watch this film on Eid might just watch it while skimming through their television channels.
Operation 021
No of screens: 56 (all digital)
What’s hot: Over the course of time, Shaan has become the emblem of Pakistani cinema and any film featuring him is bound to get a solid response at the box office. Adding to that is the Waar factor, and it is exactly after one year that Shaan is returning with a film in which he looks surprisingly similar to his character in Waar. The film will see a major decrease in collections if there is not enough of Shaan in it.
What’s not: The 15-day marketing plan hasn’t worked out well for the film, and despite its social media stunts, the film has failed to create the buzz required for an Eid release. People are expecting yet another Waar from Shaan, which is not the case with Operation 021, as unlike the former’s anti-India subtext, it centralises the cross-border tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This can adversely affect the word-of-mouth regarding the film and will reflect in the second week collections of the film.
Na Maloom Afraad
Screens: 60-70 (digital and film)
What’s hot: The film’s fate entirely hinges on the positive word of mouth that it receives. It has all the elements a Pakistani audience needs to go to theatres for. Although there is not much hype surrounding the film, it may capitalise on the footfall of Operation 021 and Bang Bang.
What’s not: This is a film that lacks star power. Despite how recognisable a face Fahad Mustafa is on television, he cannot have the same impact on the big screen. That, however, is not its biggest hindrance in way of garnering Eid collections. The major problem is with its release date. Had a ‘paisa vasool’ film like Na Maloom Afraad released on a day when it didn’t have to compete with box-office behemoths, it would have actually done a lot better. It is sad that such a great film will not receive the response it deserves.
Verdict: Owing to stiff competition between the films, no individual box-office record is expected to be made this Eidul Azha. However, Pakistani cinema may collectively witness the highest-grossing Eid week.