Ikkis is looking to collect Rs. 3 crore nett approx on Friday, which marks a 50 per cent or so drop from its Jan 1st opening day. The two-day total box office collection for the film will be Rs. 9 crore nett approx. It should get good growth tomorrow, being a film catering to bigger centres, which could lead it to Rs. 20-ikkis crore nett four-day weekend. That isn’t all that bad for the cast involved and the type of film it is, but the costs involved are a lot higher, and they require better than that.
The opening day was a big holiday, so the drop makes sense or is broadly in line with the normal box office trajectory post a big holiday. However, the film needed to do better than normal as it isn’t the type which does big on day one, rather the one which grows after. Of course, growing from the holiday first day wasn’t expected; for that matter, even staying flat, although that would have been nice to get, as it would have indicated appreciation. Still, something like Rs. 4-5 crore second day would have provided a much stronger base for the weekend and, more importantly, indicated acceptance and better chances of sustaining beyond it.
The other thing is that there was probably some external push to the film, the magnitude of which is unclear. It was certainly not as blatant as Tu Meri Main Tera last week, which was easily identified. This time of the year also gets organic corporate bookings, so it could be that, but lately the lines have blurred. Anyway, if there was indeed some form of support on day one, it would imply that the organic drop is lower than 50 per cent, possibly much lower. But then you don’t know for sure if the second day is completely untouched.
On the first day of the film, there was a sense of optimism, as this was a film devoid of commercial elements, so with little expectations, but it managed to get a start. The second day has seen that optimism go away as the collections have come to a very low level. It may get a big growth tomorrow, but it won’t be easy sustaining that when Friday is already this low.
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