The Producers Guild of India and Multiplex Association of India announced that August 11 to 13 weekend was its busiest single weekend after the Covid lockdown.
With of Rajinikanth’s 'Jailer', Akshay Kumar’s 'OMG 2', Sunny Deol’s 'Gadar 2' and Chiranjeevi’s 'Bholaa Shankar' hitting the box office ahead of the Independence Day, last weekend set a new all-time theatrical gross box office record for the cinema industry.
The weekend saw 2.1 crore people going to theatres across India, making it the highest combined admissions record in the last 10 years. The weekend gross box office of Rs 390 crore is the highest in the history.
“Mainstream storytelling executed in the right way has resulted in the box office records being shattered. A massive achievement like this is a result of an incredible filmmaking team, with cast and crew coming together to create a truly special movie-going experience. The turnout at theatres has infused a new energy in our Industry, audiences are responding in numbers we have not seen for a very long time, even the early morning shows are getting sold out. This weekend has been a wonderful experience for people who love the mainstream Indian films,” said Producers Guild of India President Shibasish Sarkar.
“It was a historic weekend, it proves once again that India loves going to the movies to see great films. This weekend is also an undeniable demonstration of cinemas being the ultimate place to be part of a shared experience. Cinemas across the country would like to thank and congratulate our filmmakers and studios for pushing the boundaries to deliver unforgettable storytelling. This weekend shows that movies and cinemas are back in a big, big way. We look forward to this momentum continuing in the rest of 2023. said Multiplex Association of India President Kamal Gianchandani.
The box office numbers are expected to soar high and set a new first-week record, thanks to the holiday on Independence Day. 'Jailer' alone minted Rs 150 crore in the weekend across 450 screens. This is followed by 'Gadar 2', which raked in Rs 135 crore and 'OMG 2', which clocked 43.56 crore. 'Bholaa Shankar' collected Rs 20 crore in the opening weekend, despite fierce competition from the other releases.
