Article 370 created a strong buzz at its trailer launch and one got a feeling that this was a special movie in the offering.
Advance booking started gathering pace, but a masterstroke arrived in the form of Cinema Lovers Day on Friday, as a result of which tickets were sold for just Rs 99.
This was the platinum moment for the film as suddenly, from a few thousands, the advance booking rose up to almost Rs 125,000, which was unbelievable for its subject and its cast.
As a result, even at reduced ticket rates, a huge Rs 6.12 crores (Rs 61.2 million) came in and that did the job of word of mouth to spread amongst audiences.
No wonder, the weekend turned out to be bountiful for the film as a major milestone of Rs 25 crores (Rs 250 million) was crossed.
The current total reads Rs 26 crores (Rs 260 million)*, and that's because of the good growth on Saturday and Sunday.
The film has a lot to offer audiences in the days to come, which means it won't be seeing those regular Monday drops.
The film will continue to stay stable from this point on and at least Rs 4 crores to Rs 5 crores (Rs 40 million to Rs 50 million) will come on a daily basis, which would be a rather good number, especially considering the mid-budget on which it has been made.
With the first week total set to cross Rs 40 crores (Rs 400 million), this Yami Gautam-Priyamani starrer is already a good success at the box office.
Crakk, the other release of the week, took a good opening at the box office with Rs 4.11 crores (Rs 41.1 million) coming in on Friday, which is also one of the best first days for its star and producer Vidyut Jammwal.
Again, it did get a boost due to Cinema Lovers Day. However, once the Rs 99 offer ended, the collections dropped on Saturday.
On Sunday, the collections didn't quite go much higher, as a result of which the overall total of the film post the weekend stands at Rs 8.50 crores (Rs 85 million)*.
Considering the fact that the film has been made on a good budget -- and the money shows on screen with the lavish treatment for its action -- the box office numbers don't augur well.
The next few days will give a clearer picture on how audiences have reacted to Crakk, which features Arjun Rampal in a stylish avatar.
Note: All collections as per production and distribution sources
