Akshay Kumar’s OMG 2 has opened to a respectable Rs 10.26 crore despite clashing with Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2.
Despite clashing with one of the most eagerly anticipated Hindi films of recent times – Gadar 2 – Akshay Kumar’s OMG 2 has managed to open to a respectable figure. The film, byouyed by positive reviews and good word of mouth, showed growth in its evening and night shows and managed to get a double digit opening on day one, raising hopes of a recovery over the weekend.
OMG 2, which also stars Pankaj Tripathi and Yami Gautam, earned Rs 10.26 crore net in the domestic market on its first day. The figure was largely due to huge improvement in footfalls as the day progressed. The morning shows had dismal occupancy of around 18% but it grew to a very impressive 66% by the night shows, largely due to the positive reviews the film received.
Gadar 2, the other big release of the day, opened to a amssive Rs 40.10 crore, easily winning the clash and also hurting OMG 2’s prospects to some extent. While OMG 2 is bound to lose some shows to Gadar 2 given the exhibitors’ tendency to favour the bigger film, trade insiders speculate that the Akshay-starrer still can make a decent recovery and a 30-40% jump on Saturday is not unimaginable. If the film does manage that, then a 40-crore weekend is likely, which will give a huge boost to the film’s long-term chances.
OMG 2’s opening was also hampered by the fact that it was an A-rated movie, which limited its visibility and viability for the family audiences, Akshay’s core base. Then the controversies around the film prior to its release also created somewhat of a negative atmosphere around it, which does turn some viewers away. However, the makers would hope that a positive word of mouth should help repair that damage and give the film a solid chance to do well at the box office.
