Box office smiles on Bollywood early in 2011

With 2010 ending on a lacklustre note for the Hindi film industry – think Tees Maar Khan – healthy box office figures in the new year have come like a shot in the arm for the filmwallahs. No One Killed Jessica (NOKJ), the first release of 2011, garnered good numbers at multiplexes, while the Deol family caper, Yamla Pagla Deewana (YPD), saw people crowding single-screen theatres in the second week. 

Dhobi Ghat, which released last Friday, may have done less business as compared to other films featuring Aamir Khan in the first week, but given its low cost and niche content, the film managed to earn profits. Also, latest release Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (DTBHJ) may have been received a tepid response from critics, but is expected to work at the box office.

What is interesting is that unlike in previous years, where the box office gets off to a stutter before the biggies start arriving around summer till the end of the year, 2011 has seen the best turnouts in theatres for January releases in years. Films like Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000) and Rang De Basanti (2006) were January hits too, but a film released in each week doing well is a first.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says that he can’t remember a better start at the box office in more than two decades. "NOKJ, which released in the first week, hit the jackpot right away. Plus, we have had three profitable films (NOKJ, YPD and Dhobi Ghat) released in the first three weeks of the year, which is exceptional. And with DTBHJ looking good, it’s clearly been a memorable start to 2011,” he says.

NOKJ, with a budget of around Rs15 crore, should earn it makers a profit of over Rs10 crore, whereas YPD is sitting pretty with a net business of Rs50 crore so far from the theatrical business in India alone, says Taran. “Add to that the business from overseas, satellite and other rights and YPD should earn healthy profits for its producers, who have invested Rs24 crore on the film.”

Dhobi Ghat may not be a runaway hit but given the low cost (Rs8 crore, including production and promotion) and a first week that netted close to around Rs13 crores, the film is already in the plus. “In fact, Khan is yet to sell the satellite rights of the film, which in itself should be more than the entire cost of the film,” says Adarsh.

Komal Nahta, editor of Film Information, says that Dhobi Ghat’s good performance shouldn’t be looked into too much. “It’s more the Aamir factor working at the box office rather than the film finding acceptance among audiences,” says Nahta. This week’s DTBHJ, though, says Nahta, should keep its investors happy.

Reportedly made at a budget of Rs24 crore, the producers have already made a profit by selling it to distributors, who Nahta says should make a profit too. “The film has the merits to do well and since it’s been made on a reasonable budget, everyone associated with it stands to make money.”