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After all the fireworks that kick-started on 18th December when year end biggies Bajirao Mastani and Dilwale released together, it is turning out to be a damp week at the Box Office. This can be pretty much gauged by the fact that even a month after the pre-Christmas releases, it is Bajirao Mastani again which is still finding some footfalls. Other than the Sanjay Leela Bhansali flick, the only film which is bringing in numbers, albeit in trickling fashion, is Wazir, which too is a holdover release from last week.
All of this as there has been no new notable release over the Friday gone by. Reason? Ghayal Once Again decided to move ahead by three weeks, and suddenly Bollywood didn’t have a newer film to unleash.
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Clearly, there was no Plan B available, and all of that means that a week -a good one at that – has gone wasted for the film industry.
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Pretty much a sacrilege, considering the fact that time and again the film industry weeps and cries around the availability of just 52 Fridays and too many releases. On the other hand an opportunity like this comes its way and then goes begging.
There are four notable films slated to arrive before the close of month – Airlift, Kya Kool Hain Hum 3, Mastizaade and Saala Khadoos. One wonders whether any of these could possible made best use of the slot available for itself, and advanced its arrival for 15th January. However, as was apparent, some of these films were still getting ready for the final print dispatch while others were still getting on a finishing touch. As for one film, it didn’t want to budge from its promotional and marketing plan.
The moving ahead of Ghayal Once Again has only added on to a crowded February. There are 10 notable films already planned for the four Fridays in there and with the Sunny Deol starrer stepping in, there is a crowd build up for sure.
As for the current week, it is a sad state for 5500 odd screens reserved for Bollywood films as the average occupancy in the weekdays is set to be barely 2%-3%.
One just hopes that this turns out to be an exception this year, and there are better weeks ahead, beginning with Airlift and Kya Kool Hain Hum 3 this Friday.
Joginder Tuteja tweets @tutejajoginder
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