Akshay Kumar is the first Bollywood star to return to the 70mm screen as theaters reopen in the country after the devastating second wave of the Covid-19. BellBottom it marks perhaps all the boxes of an Akshay Kumar film: a thriller full of patriotism, inspired by a real-life story and giving its hero another chance to show off his martial and histrionic movements.
However, it may not be enough this time to get the audience to vote with their feet. Covid-19 remains an important factor: theaters are not open to full capacity in most states, while in some states, including the important Maharashtra which accounts for almost 30% of the box office, they remain closed. The trade, after months of lethargy, has put its power behind Akshay, saying BellBottom is releasing a “brave move.”
“As a start to the industry, we are not looking at it from the perspective of box office numbers, but it will help revive the industry. With the release of BellBottom, the wheels of the industry will start to move, ”film trade expert and producer Girish Johar told indianexpress.com.
He added: “Cinema is a state issue and each state has its own protocols and SOPs. Some only allow 30% occupancy, in some states it is a weekend closure, others close malls at 5pm and others at 8pm, so there are many variable factors at play. The priority is to give people confidence to go back to the cinemas. Rest assured, we have suggestions from the box office in South India and the box office for Punjabi movies that people are willing to return. ”
Johar believes that if it had been a normal scenario, BellBottom would have “easily” earned 20 million on the first day. But his partner, Komal Nahta, suggests that the thriller may raise around € 7 million on opening day despite being a non-festive release.
He said: “The excitement for the film is immense. Unfortunately, the cinemas in Maharashtra are not open, but it will start very well as it is the first major release after 17 months. With cinemas open to 50% of capacity, a figure of 7 million would be a phenomenal start and, if that happens, everyone should applaud the entrails of the whole team.
Maharashtra, which accounts for almost 30% of the business of a Hindi film in India, has not yet opened its doors to movie theaters. But that poses a risk that Akshay and the BellBottom team are willing to take on. While talking about the movie premiere of the film, the actor had said: “There is pressure on everyone, but I am very sure that things will work. There is a challenge, a risk. But if you have not taken the risk in life, what have you done? So we have it. followed ”.
Film trade analyst Taran Adarsh also believes it is a step in the right direction because “people will return to cinemas only when big movies with big stars hit the screens.” According to him, “we can’t expect large amounts, as was done in the days before Covid, but I guess people will soon get used to the habit of watching movies in cinemas again.”
And if you want to take risks with a big name that makes a profit, Akshay Kumar is a suitable option to help the recovery of the film business. Since 2015, Khiladi Kumar has delivered 11 films with a collection of more than 100 million euros each. His latest film release, Good Newwz, with a budget of 117 million euros, earned a huge amount of 205.14 million euros. The Mangal mission, which also came out in 2019, was done with a budget of 95 million and collected 202.98 million at the box office.
Since 2015, Akshay Kumar has delivered 11 films with a collection of more than 100 million euros each.
It was in 2015 when Kumar entered Forbes ’list of highest paid actors with an estimated revenue of $ 33.5 million along with Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. In 2020, he was the only actor to appear on the annual list and left behind the trio of Khan, Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez and singer Rihanna with revenue of $ 48.5 million.
Explaining what he does Akshay, a bank star, Said Girish Johar, “The stories he tries to tell connect on a larger level. Connect with families. He also tries to increase his base by trying different genres, we see him in the toilet: Ek Prem Katha, we also see him in a Rustom and Gold. We see him in a comedy caper like Housefull, and now in BellBottom and Sooryavanshi. He is playing in all ranges catering to all segments and strata, increasing his fan base with different stories. “
The 53-year-old actor has presented hits in all genres. Since making action films largely in the 90s, he has moved on to comedy, drama, sports cinema and thrillers. Even the comedy covers of various stars like Housefull and Good Newwz appeal to his name. In the last six years, of the 16 versions, Kumar has only delivered one flop. His science fiction film co-starring Rajinikanth, 2.0, with a budget of 575 million euros, could only get 189.55 million at the box office.
According to Johar, Akshay has captured the zeitgeist and each year he moves closer and closer to the number one spot. “Somehow, Akshay has understood the pulse of the audience that pays at the box office, so he is successful. Although he makes 4-5 films a year, the audience does not get tired of it because of the variety of his work. People think it doesn’t happen again, which is a very important factor, ”he said.
Akshay Kumar
In a previous interview with Forbes, Kumar had explained how he changed the “zeros” on his checks when he entered the film industry just to make money. “It simply came to our notice then. From scripts and scripts to technology and how to shoot and the audience. The zeros in my check have changed. Everything has changed, ”the actor said.
Now, having achieved the feat of being one of the most successful Bollywood stars, it remains to be seen how Akshay Kumar will come out on the digital platform with her first web series on Amazon Prime Video.