Just yesterday, we witnessed the premiere of two highly anticipated Bollywood productions: Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, a heartfelt family movie, and Akshay Kumar’s Raksha Bandhan, a remake of Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump. Everyone was asking: which of these two would become the bigger hit at the box office? Reports show that Laal Singh Chaddha, which boasts a higher ticket price and more screenings in metropolitan multiplexes, has gained a larger following. On the contrary, Raksha Bandhan, which is better represented in Hindi-speaking areas, has made a steady and consistent impact.
As of the present moment, the second day of their running, reports have declared that both Laal Singh Chaddha and Raksha Bandhan have seen a reduction of occupancy rate in the morning shows by 60% as compared to their opening day. This in turn has brought their occupancy rates down to 8-10% for the current day. This decline in attendance has been credited to the regular working day preceding the upcoming weekend and Independence Day holiday on August 15, succeeding the Rakshabandhan festival. In addition to this, it has also been noted that both, Laal Singh Chaddha and Raksha Bandhan, have become victims of the unenthusiastic public response, alongside the unfavorable reviews that were released.
Although it is becoming increasingly clear that the Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor starrer Laal Singh Chaddha is likely to experience decreased profits, there is still hope for the Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar film Raksha Bandhan to increase its collections. According to industry predictions, the movie has a great potential of generating more sales over the weekend, with its Monday release coinciding with the Indian Independence Day holiday providing the perfect opportunity to amplify earnings. On the contrary, the generally negative reviews, in addition to its lengthy run time, may impede Laal Singh Chaddha’s capacity to entice movie–goers.
