The much anticipated release of Raksha Bandhan, starring Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar, directed by Aanand L Rai and centred around an emotional sibling relationship story, has hit the screens today. The film was expected to make a modest start.
Living up to the expectations that were set, Raksha Bandha commenced with occupancy of 15% in the morning and early afternoon showings. In addition to the film, it faced stiff competition from the release of Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, causing the advance bookings to suffer. This then led to a decrease in the potential for success for both movies. However, with a higher level of interest in the smaller cities, and from single-screen and mass-dominated sectors, it is anticipated that Raksha Bandhan will make a moderate to decent business. The occupancy in the multiplexes was unsatisfactory, requiring the movie to acquire spot booking and positive reviews to keep its momentum going.
Despite the lack of relevance to the younger audience, the heart–tugging family theme of the film has won over family moviegoers. It appears that Raksha Bandhan is favored in Hindi–speaking areas, thus providing a considerable boost to its box office business. Trade experts speculate that Akshay Kumar’s star power will make this movie earn at least 10 million in its opening day.
