MUMBAI: This Friday‘s releases Love Sex Aur Dhokha, Shaapit and Lahore fared better than last week‘s releases.
Love Sex Aur Dhokha opened well at multiplexes. Though the film opened poorly at between 15 to 20 per cent, the collections turned to more than 40 per cent by the weekend on the basis of good reviews and word-of-mouth publicity. Deft handling of script with hidden cameras makes Love Sex Aur Dhokha a first-of-its-kind viewing experience.
The film is voyeuristic but it‘s not sleazy; neither has the film any similarities to Scorsese‘s Sex ,Lies and Videotape. The film is a leap in the evolution of Hindi cinema, by being inventive and highly laudable.
The same was the case with Lahore. People got curious after the news that the film was banned in Pakistan for exhibition. Because of its title, the film was considered to be another film on Indo-Pak indifference. But it‘s a film on kick-boxing, a sport rarely showcased on the relations of two brothers and also two countries.
Later, on its release, the film was raved by viewers for being the best-as-yet sports action film. Though the film didn‘t open well, its collection registered a sharp rise and by the weekend, it registered attendance of between 35 to 40 per cent.
Though the Aditya Narayan-starrer Shaapit didn‘t open well at multiplexes, the Vikram Bhatt directed film did better at single screens. The film makes for a very good viewing and is a great treat for all lovers of horror films.
The coming week will be a kind of an acid test for all the three films. If they are able to sustain, their run at the box-office will naturally grow.
Meanwhile, after a dull first-week opening, IPL registered an attendance of 70 per cent in among the 700 screens all over the country.
Comments trade analyst Taran Adarsh, "There are as many as five releases per week and some from the likes of Subhash Ghai and Shyam Benegal. If IPL screening works and matches get interesting, the film industry will be doomed because theatres will start screening all big matches."
Next week will see the release of Well Done Abba, Hum Tum Aur Ghost, Prem Ka Game, Mittle vs Mittle and The Great Indian Butterfly.
