BO Updates of Diwali Dhamaka Warfare

The first day results are out! OM SHANTI OM has fetched a hurricane-like start everywhere. Multiplexes, single screens; big centres, towns, smaller centres; East, West, North, South, everywhere… the film has opened to huge numbers, setting new records on Day 1. The reports are extremely positive, with the youth as also the masses loving the film. As things stand today, the film will have an earth-shattering opening weekend as also Week 1.SAAWARIYA too has opened to big numbers and the brand Sanjay Leela Bhansali coupled with the curiosity to watch the two star kids has resulted in the cineplexes as well as single screens opening to packed houses. The collections are expected to be great in the opening weekend, but the reports are negative and that will affect the film in days to come.

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Om Shanti Om has opened to an earth shattering 95-100% response smashing records all over. The film was released on around 600 single screens and set new first day highs on nearly 500 of these 600 screens. The multiplexes saw near 100% collections but the grosses are not as high as last year biggies as it only managed to get 8-10-12 shows as against the 14-16-18 that other biggies have managed. This was due to the clash with Saawariya which took up a similar amount of screens at multiplexes.The reports are very positive from all parts of the country and the film will become a huge all India hit. The opening day in Delhi/UP, East Punjab, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Mysore was humungous as single screens went over capacity at places. The first week should see may more records being crushed.In Overseas the film managed to collect around 125,000 pounds yesterday in UK.

http://boxofficeindia.com/osoinitial.htm

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Saawariya has been written off but this seems to be because it lost the initial battle against Om Shanti Om. It may not have opened as well as Om Shanti Om but the opening is still amongst the best of 2007. The film had collections of 95-100% at multiplexes while single screens were around 80-85%. The reports are poor but if it can hold out through the week at multiplexes then it could recover costs or even make some money. Single screens are going to find it tough as cracks in collections can be seen this morning already with a 20-25% drop at places.In Overseas the film collected around 40,000 pounds yesterday in UKhttp://boxofficeindia.com/saawariyainitial.htm

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'Om Shanti Om' beats 'Saawariya' at the box office : Economic Times

NEW DELHI: The audience verdict is out. The box office seems to favour Shah Rukh Khan's " Om Shanti Om " in comparison to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's much-touted magnum opus " Saawariya ".
While King Khan's film registered 90 percent occupancy across the country on its Diwali release, Bhansali's love story managed 60 percent. " Om Shanti Om " is director Farah Khan's tribute to the colourful and vibrant cinemas of the 70s and it has Shah Rukh is a new avatar, going shirtless and displaying his six-pack abs, while Bhansali's film is a mystical love story set in Shimla and introduces new faces. According to Vishal Kapur, COO of Fun Cinemas, the Shah Rukh film has generated a lot of repeat audience interest in comparison to " Saawariya ". "

Among our 15 cineplexes across the country, the bigger ones did a business of at least Rs.500,000 and smaller ones Rs.150,000 on Friday. ' Saawariya ' churned out Rs.350,000 at the big centres, while at the smaller ones it could only manage to collect Rs.78,000," Kapur told IANS. Kapur feels that " Om Shanti Om " could prove an even bigger Shah Rukh hit than his last " Chak De! India ".

"It could do better than 'Chak De! ' which picked up after the positive reviews. However, 'Om Shanti Om ' had a great opening. I am a little doubtful about ' Saawariya '," said Kapur. The audience response can be gauged from Anirban Basu, a movie buff who saw both the films. " 'Om Shanti Om' is much more entertaining than 'Saawariya' . SRK's film has a perfect blend of comedy and drama while Bhansali's film is stale and boring. It is extremely slow. Apart from the lavish sets there is nothing in the film to hold the audiences' interest." The difference of how well both the films would do in the coming days is also evident from the advance bookings. "For Saturday, 50 percent of advance booking has been done for 'Om Shanti Om' while for 'Saawariya' it is just a little over 20 percent," said Ashok Bisht, assistant manager of JAM multiplex, Noida.
With both the films in tough competition, the weekend will prove boom time for the multiplexes across the country. "With two big films releasing the same day, this weekend will prove to be a big money spinner for all multiplexes. However, we have noticed a new trend among some viewers - they want to watch both films," said Gautam Dutt, chief marketing officer of PVR Cinema.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ET_Cetera/Om_Shanti_Om_beats_Saawariya/articleshow/2532328.cms