Box Office Update: Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar Perform Well, While Other Releases Struggle

Box Office Update: The past weekend saw a total collection of just over 25 crores across 4000 screens showing Hindi films, which was relatively low. Despite the fact that there is a daily capacity of at least 40 crores, the collection over three days was below par. However, two movies, Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, were able to generate decent revenue, ensuring that the exhibition circuit remained active. It is noteworthy that the Rani Mukherji starrer was shown on only around 500 screens, yet managed to earn over 6.50 crores.

It’s worth noting that Rani Mukherji has previously seen larger opening weekend numbers with her last release, Mardaani 2, earning 18.15 crores in its first weekend back in 2019. However, that film was more commercially driven and was the second installment in a franchise. Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, on the other hand, is a realistic portrayal of a true story that made headlines about 10 years ago, which has limited its reach. Furthermore, this type of film is typically classified as an OTT release, so the theatrical business it has garnered so far is commendable, particularly as it increased from 1.27 crores on the first day to 6.50 crores* over the weekend. The key factor now will be the film’s stability from Monday onwards. If it can maintain collections above 1 crore from Monday to Thursday, that would be sufficient for the film to make the most of the open week before Ajay Devgn’s Bholaa arrives on March 30th.

On the other hand, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar had the best collections for a Hindi film over the previous weekend, despite being in its second week. It has a wider audience reach and has been well received by its target audience, specifically the youth in key urban areas. In its second weekend, the film earned over 15 crores*, which is still a respectable figure, although it could have been better if it had earned around 18-20 crores more. However, considering the difficult times that most films have faced in recent months, this is still a commendable achievement.

The latest Luv Ranjan directorial has now become a member of the 100 Crore Club, making it only the second film this year to do so after Pathaan, which has earned over 540 crores. It’s worth noting that there hasn’t been any other film released in the last 7 weeks, between Pathaan and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, which indicates how lackluster the box office has been in recent times. This further highlights the significance of the Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor starrer, as it has managed to keep the box office afloat to some extent, having collected 108.50 crores* so far.

Two other Hindi films were released over the past weekend, namely the dubbed version of the Kannada blockbuster Kabzaa and the indie film Zwigato. Kabzaa had a wide release, with over 1600 screens primarily in the rural areas, but unfortunately, the Upendra starrer did not perform as well as expected, with only 1.50 crores* collected over the weekend. On the other hand, Zwigato received critical acclaim and Kapil Sharma’s performance was highly appreciated. The film has a niche appeal, and it’s commendable that Applause Entertainment decided to release it in theatres, as such films are often considered festival cinema and released directly on OTT platforms. The Nandita Das directed film received a respectable release after good promotion and marketing, and it has currently collected 1.75 crores*.