Finance
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, a romantic comedy starring Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan, is a nice surprise on its first day. Early indications indicate that the film will open in the range of Rs 4.50 to 5.50 crore, which is a fantastic start for a film starring Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan.
The film had a buy one get one free offer on the day of release, which boosted sales slightly, but the credit for the start can’t be given entirely to the offer because there has to be some sort of interest and motivation in the audience to buy the tickets, even if it’s at a low price.
People are buying tickets, and that is what is most important at this point in time, as it demonstrates that with the correct pricing and other incentives, even non-event films can draw an audience on opening day. However, buy one get one free is not a long-term viable model, and producers, together with multiplex groups, will need to collaborate to develop a price structure that will attract footfalls while maintaining a sustainable business model for all stakeholders. Weekday pricing from Monday to Friday, with higher rates on Saturday and Sunday, is one of the strategies that producers and exhibitors can use to attract audiences for small and mid-sized films.
The film’s music was working before to its release, which created the noise, and the lead pair – Vicky and Sara – went all out with the promotion, demonstrating the correct desire to draw in the audience. One can’t pinpoint what sparked the interest in Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (apart from the offer), but there was something that worked prior to the film’s premiere to entice spectators to the theaters. The night and evening shows are still to roll, so it is possible that it will cross the Rs 5 crore mark, but even if it does not, the numbers for ZHZB are well beyond the conventional predictions. The post-IPL time and lack of Hindi film releases could possibly be factors to get the audiences back to cinema halls.
The three chains – PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis will be hitting Rs 3.00 crore with ease, and this should more or less ensure a day in the north of Rs 4 crore. As of 5 pm, the national chain total stands at Rs 2.15 crore. At a non-national chain like MovieMax too, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke has scored good occupancies. The film is looking to rake Rs 8.50 lakh nett in MovieMax. To put things to perspective, Shehzada had collected Rs 6.75 lakh nett, Bholaa stood at Rs 13.65 lakh nett and KBKJ at Rs 17 lakh nett.
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke has a chance of topping Rs 5 crore on opening day
The usual pre-release predictions were in the range of Rs 2 crore, which was successfully exceeded by 4 p.m. in the national chains alone. If the pace continues, ZHZB could cross the Rs 5 crore mark at the domestic box office, delivering the largest opening surprise in the post-pandemic era. The film’s beginning can be compared to far larger ones in terms of cast and budget, such as Bhediya, Cirkus, and Shehzada. In fact, ZHZB outperformed all three films on opening day, owing to cheaper ticket prices even without the BOGO promotion.
Vicky’s most recent theatrical release, Bhoot: Part 1, grossed Rs 4.85 crore, and Zara Hatke Zara Bachke has a good chance of beating this, but a lot depends on the evening and night concerts. If the walk-in rate is high, the figure could rise to little more than Rs 5.00 crore. In the post-pandemic environment, ZHZB is the biggest surprise on the opening front for the Hindi Film Industry. Keep an eye on Pinkvilla for additional information.
Source:PV
