Box Office: 2024 starts on a positive note with the success of Fighter and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya

Following the historic run of feature films at the box office in 2023, there was talk across the board about how 2024 could be a relatively dry year with limited releases over the 12-month period. One could have event films at their fingertips, which puts additional pressure on them to live up to the huge expectations. The first release of the 2024 event was the Republic Day outing, the Siddharth Anand-directed Fighter starring Hrithik RoshanDeepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor in the lead.

Fighter set to hit Rs 200 crore at the box office in India

Fighter Opened on Thursday, January 25 to phenomenal reviews, however, the opening was almost average due to poor marketing campaign and asset launches. The film regained the lost ground with a good trend from Friday to Sunday, settling at a figure of Rs 114 crore in 4 days. Then came the crucial Monday, where the film fell more than expected with collections of around Rs 7.25 crore. The 35 percent drop in rates from the weekend made Monday’s figure look even steeper than previously assumed. The Monday business pushed many people to write fake obituaries for Fighter, comparing him to some of Hindi cinema’s most legendary disasters. The studio did little to combat the negativity and even stopped releasing box office numbers, acknowledging defeat.

But Fighter fought like a true fighter and the tides turned after Monday’s drop, as Fighter managed to hold steady at lower levels for the following weeks. What was predicted to be a Rs 160 crore finish with Monday’s drop, will now emerge as a successful venture with a finish around the Rs 205 crore mark in India as the total year-to-date stands at Rs 197 crore. . Of course, the film didn’t live up to the huge pre-release expectations as appreciation skewed towards urban markets, but it did well enough to achieve a respectable total in the long run.

It is not a great success, but the film has managed to find a place not only in the box office charts (Average & Above), but also in the hearts of the film-going public in urban areas. Better music, better marketing and a bit more hand-to-hand combat would have definitely taken the film towards the clean hit mark with higher box office numbers. Globally, Fighter is heading towards a finish of Rs 340 crore, a figure that would look much higher by the end of 2024.

Teri Baaton Mein Aise Uljha Jiya Heads For Rs 80 Crore Finale In India

The second release of the year is the Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon led Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Ulja Jiya, which opened on the eve of Valentine’s Day. Dinesh Vijan’s production received a negative response from most critics (including yours truly), but the audience’s reception is much better than it initially seemed. The film was released with a price tag of Rs 6.50 crore and is now heading for a finale of around Rs 80 crore, marking a success for the robotic-romantic comedy.

While Fighter faced negativity from one section of the trade, TBMAUJ fell victim to negativity on the review front from all sectors. But as they say, the audience is king and will watch whatever movie they want, regardless of general perception. The film fought against all odds to earn the hit tag, registering a good midweek trend, followed by an impressive spike during the second weekend. Business was boosted by the Buy One Get One Free offer, but even discounting that, there is a trend that indicates appreciation for the film by a section of the audience. Like Fighter, this isn’t a hit movie as of yet, but it has done well enough to reach a respectable number and earn the hit tag. The film has also done well in the overseas market, aiming to gross $5 million and is expected to close with a global total of Rs 130 crore.

2024 is the year when feature films may not reach the Rs 500 crore mark, but it could be an opportunity for the film fraternity to come back to reality and celebrate those mid-range hits and clean hits, getting over the hangover of all those. -Time blockbusters that set new benchmarks for the box office in 2023. These mid-range hits for feature films are what keep the industry going and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya is an important feature film on that front, as that opens the doors to producers. make romantic comedies with controlled budgets.

The post-pandemic world has clarified many things and the latest learning in 2024 is not to write off a film until it is over, as feature films with skewed appreciation are trending longer than usual in urban markets. Both Fighter and TBMAUJ managed to survive and set the trend after a not-so-promising opening day. All eyes are now on Article 370, Crakk, Shaitaan, Yodha, The Crew, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan to surprise at the box office. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.