Source: BNW
This week has put trade pundits in a fix. Girlfriend, the touted film could not
This week has put up a figure of even 25 lakhs anywhere in the country last week. Meanwhile, Govind Nihalani's Dev on the other hand surprised when theaters sent its final opening week collections. The 5 crore 'arty' film not only covered cost, but registered opening week figures on par or ahead of high cost, commercially targetted ventures. In Bombay for example, Dev registered over 80 lakhs nett, nearly double of a billed mass film like Lakeer, and roughly on par with collections of last week's high profile production Aan. Moreover, Dev's 2nd week is holding up well at many stations.
Lakshya on the other hand, got the best opening of the year nationally; it has collected nearly 1 crore from Bombay suburbs over the weekend. Though a section of the media, which makes hoopla out of largely unwatched, 2-3 crore grossing peep shows like Ek Choti Si Love Story (2002) and Girlfriend, is also yarning a downfall of Lakshya; the bookings and collections continue to be excellent. While the film might not break records in every village and city, on a sheer number of tickets sold basis, the movie has generated the highest sales across the country since opening Friday. The film has netted in 3 days what Farhan Akhtar's debut film, Dil Chahta Hai netted over its entire opening week.
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Source: IANS
Young director Farhan Akhtar's second film after "Dil Chatha Hai" has become a cult film among the urban youth and recorded houseful openings across the country.
"The advance opening of Lakshya has been extraordinary in Mumbai and the rest of India, including Delhi," says trade analyst Amod Mehra of the film.
"In Mumbai it is houseful (all the way). It's 100 per cent not only in the multiplexes but also in single-screen theatres like Chandan (Juhu) and Liberty, and in places like Kurla," he adds.
The film, penned by Javed Akhtar after a gap of 12 years, is a slickly shot, stylized movie about an urban drifter who finds his goal in life. The film is not merely a war movie.
Hrithik has delivered a smashing performance once again and Preity has done full justice to the script.
Amitabh, however, seems wasted in the film as the colonel who goads Hrithik. The supporting cast, especially Sushant Singh, has come in for high praise.
"Lakshya" is a marvellous effort by a young director and is in the league of this month's previous two releases - Govind Nilhani's "Dev" and Mani Ratnam's "Yuva."