MUNJYA IS A SUCCESS; ALL EYES ON CHANDU CHAMPION AND MAHARAJ
Last week’s release, Munjya, has proved all calculations wrong. The buzz seemed limited and it was expected to open at Rs. 1 crore. A day before the release, it seemed like the film would manage to open at Rs. 2 crores. But it managed to open at a huge Rs. 4.25 crores. Usually, when a film overperforms on day 1, it drops on the second day or doesn’t grow significantly. Munjya, however, jumped to Rs. 7.25 crores on Saturday. The drop was minimal on Sunday – Rs. 8.25 crores – due to the India vs Pakistan match. On Monday, the film collected Rs. 4 crores when usually films drop 40-50% on day 4. Tuesday's collections were the same as Monday's.
What went in favour of Munjya was the horror-comedy genre and its connection with the Stree-Bhediya universe. Also, the makers kept the ticket rates in check. The weekday trend is strong because in certain parts of North India, the film took time to get the audience. Looking at the trend, it seems like it’ll have a first week of Rs. 35 crores. It also indicates that the second Friday will be strong. If that happens, Munjya can have a lifetime of Rs. 75-80 crores. In fact, a Rs. 100 crore lifetime also can’t be ruled out!
This week’s big release is Chandu Champion. It stars Kartik Aaryanas Murlikant Petkar, a sportsman who had an unbelievable journey. It is directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The trailer was launched in a grand fashion in Kartik’s hometown, Gwalior. The trailer catches attention, especially due to Kartik’s transformation.
However, the buzz for the film is limited as the trailer has a niche appeal. The songs haven’t worked at all. Kartik’s last film Satyaprem Ki Katha opened at Rs. 8.20 croresand looking at the advance, Chandu Champion might open lower than the 2023 film or in the same range. if the word of mouth is positive, it can see a huge jump from Friday evening.
Lastly, Junaid Khan’s debut film, Maharaj, will stream on Netflixfrom tomorrow. It is backed by Yash Raj Films and has faced trouble after Vishwa Hindu Parishad objected to the film’s plot. As a result, the makers haven’t released the trailer of the film at all. They won’t put up hoardings and it is said that Netflix won’t even upload a ‘Now streaming’ post on their social media handles! This is the first time something of this sort is happening. Nevertheless, the film will get the desired viewership as the controversy has grabbed eyeballs.
