Despite a modest start, Imtiaz Ali's 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' has defied expectations, transforming into a slow-burn success story at the box office. The film's remarkable trajectory in its second week is causing a stir in the exhibition sector, with unprecedented demand leading to additional showtimes across the nation.
Unprecedented Second Weekend Surge
'Main Vaapas Aaunga' is experiencing an incredible surge in its second week. On its second Friday, the film impressively earned Rs. 2 crores, surpassing its first Friday's collection of Rs. 1.28 crore. This momentum has escalated further into the second Saturday, with the exhibition sector going into overdrive:
• Midnight & Early Morning Shows: PVR C&B Square in Mumbai will screen the film at 2:00 am on Sunday, June 21, while PVR Nexus in Bengaluru has added a 6:50 am show, which is rapidly filling up. More cinemas are following suit, adding post-midnight and early morning screenings to meet the soaring audience demand.
• Cinépolis Expansion: Cinépolis India, operating 497 screens, has increased shows by a significant 30% from Friday to Saturday due to rapidly improving occupancies.
• West Bengal Double Down: In West Bengal, distributor Satadeep Saha reported an increase from 24 shows on Friday to over 50 shows on Saturday, projecting more than 75 shows for Sunday.
Exhibitors Express Delight
The sustained interest and strong word-of-mouth for 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' have left exhibitors thrilled:
• Gautam Dutta, CEO – Revenue & Operations, PVR INOX Limited: Emphasized the film's steady growth throughout the week, reflecting genuine audience interest driven by Imtiaz Ali's storytelling, Naseeruddin Shah’s powerful performance, and A R Rahman’s score, rather than just promotional hype. He noted its remarkable staying power even with new competition.
• Ritesh Arora, Programming Head MovieMax: Highlighted the impressive turnaround during weekdays with steadily improving collections, continuing into the weekend with houseful shows and additional screenings.
• Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinépolis: Confirmed the 30% increase in shows nationwide due to soaring demand.
• Satadeep Saha, Distributor (West Bengal): Clearly demonstrated the generated demand with the doubling of show counts within a day.
This unexpected success signals that 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' is a content-driven Partition drama finding its audience through authentic appeal, proving that strong storytelling can triumph over a slow start.
The Makers Behind the Success 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' is a collaborative production by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment, alongside Mohit Choudhary and Shibasish Sarkar of Window Seat Films.
