Nov. 11: 3 Idiots: Rs 200 crore in 70 days
Chennai Express: Rs 200 crore in 14 days
Krrish 3: Rs 200 crore in 10 days.
Aamir ‘Rancho’ Khan’s mind games and Shah Rukh ‘Rahul’ Khan’s motor mouth have been beaten by Hrithik ‘Krrish’ Roshan’s superpowers with the film flying fastest past the Rs 200-crore mark and making Bollywood box-office history.
By Sunday night, the third film in the franchise directed by Rakesh Roshan had grossed Rs 206.35 crore, leaving in its wake 3 Idiots on Rs 202 crore and closing in on the Chennai Express record of Rs 226 crore.
“Krrish 3 has become bigger than imagined. With both children and adults thronging the theatres for a second and even a third watch, the film looks set to give Chennai Express a serious run for its blockbuster record,” said Mumbai-based trade analyst Kumar Mohan.
Hitting theatres on November 1, Krrish 3 got off to a lukewarm Diwali start, earning Rs 72 crore in the first three days. But Monday the 4th changed that with record single-day collections of Rs 35.91 crore, beating the Rs 33.12-crore mark set by Chennai Express on Id in August.
Since then, Krrish 3 has broken one record after another — the highest opening week (Rs 166 crore versus Chennai Express Rs 156 crore), biggest weekday (Monday, Rs 35.91 crore), fastest in the 200 crore club (10 days).
Leading lady Priyanka Chopra tweeted today: “I feel like my dad is looking down upon me. #Krrish3 as of Sun 10 days. 206.35 cr. Thank u to all of u. Feel blessed being a part of this film”.
According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, a “wide release across 4,400 screens” and “strong content that has appealed to a large section of the audience” have worked magic for Krrish 3. Add to that the Krrish brand, star power in the form of Hrithik and Priyanka Chopra and Hollywood-style special effects. Plus, poor Bolly competition in the form of a non-starter like Satya 2 last Friday.
What now stands between Krrish 3 and the Chennai Express record is Ram-Leela, the Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh sizzler served up by Sanjay Leela Bhansali on November 15.
And then, of course, Aamir Khan vrooms in with Dhoom:3 this Christmas. A fact even Krrish acknowledges: “Keep breaking the records. Go for Krrish 3 now and then go for Dhoom 3 in sometime,” was Hrithik’s message to Bolly buffs last weekend.