 Kites another Yaadein, set to flop
Kites starring Hrithik Roshan took a good enough (though not nearly recordbreaking) opening on Friday but collections are dropping and set appear to crash. Thursday previews were around 70%. Friday opening was around 50-55% of capacity which given the heavy volume (30+ shows in some places) is not bad as it may appear and good enough to beat Shahrukh Khan's My Name Is Khan and Housefull by about 20%. Saturday was higher than Friday but most of those bookings were pre-booked. By Sunday however, cracks have started to show. Typically when Sunday is worse than Saturday, that's not a good sign.
The film looks as if it may do about 900k-1million weekend in USA, which again considering the 200+ screen release in US is not that great either as each overseas print costs several thousand dollars. Kites certainly hasn't opened per expectations overseas. And considering it was meant to be the overseas crossover film is specially problematic.
For discerning viewers, the film's box office profile will remind of Hrithik Roshan's expensive flop Yaadein in 2001, his first release after the average returning Mission Kashmir in 2000. Similarly, Kites has followed another below expectation Jodha Akbar in 2008. The question the trade will wonder about is whether the actor will ever reclaim top level status in India. Commercially Kites being a $30 million film is set to be a loser.
It should be said that while some bollywood losing films are showing seemingly big grosses, the collection capacities now are much higher. A blockbuster film recording close to 100% occupancies nationally will show collections well over Rs. 100 crores per week at the box office in 2010. | 
18-06-2010, 11:11 PM
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