KGF - Chapter 2, starring superstar Yash is all set to release in cinemas on April 14. The first part of the Kannada film clashed with Shah Rukh Khan’s Zero. Yet, the Hindi dubbed version managed to grow with a strong word of mouth and earned Rs. 44.09 crore. It became a huge hit on satellite and contributed to the craze. As a result, KGF - Chapter 2 became one of the most awaited films of 2022. The advance booking started with a bang last week, surprising everyone.
Trade veteran Taran Adarsh said, “The advance sales are phenomenal. And mind you, this is a dubbed film, not a proper Bollywood film. The film has got tremendous love. Rocky Bhai has become a household name. Viewers are very keen to watch KGF - Chapter 2. I personally know so many people who keep making enquiries about the film. That is the level of excitement, awareness, and adulation for this film.”
When asked why viewers are so excited to see the film, he replied, “I am not going to point to a particular factor that has worked in favour of KGF - Chapter 2. It was all about the build-up, the swag and Rocky Bhai. Viewers want to see how Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon add to the madness. They also want to see where Rocky Bhai goes from here on. So, I guess it’s going to be a good package.”
Taran Adarsh also made a special mention, “I also feel that Prashanth Neel is a smart storyteller.”
Trade analyst Atul Mohan added, “KGF 1 was such a huge hit. So the sequel would definitely benefit. And the craze for KGF - Chapter 2 is tremendous.” He also added, “If part 1 does well, then the sequel definitely will have a huge opening. But I guess no one must have imagined that it’ll have such huge advance sales.”
Raj Bansal, the owner of Entertainment Paradise in Jaipur, talked about KGF - Chapter 2 and is also glad that with Jersey bowing out of the race, the action entertainer will have a grand release. He opined, “The advance booking of KGF - Chapter 2 has been phenomenal. The exhibitors have faced losses over two years. Hence, they’ll want to play the film that will fetch them maximum collections.”
Day 1 predictions
The advance is such that KGF - Chapter 2’s opening number is sure to be historic, despite it being released in the holy month of Ramzan. When asked what the first-day number will be, Atul Mohan said, “Day 1 would be around Rs. 30-35 crore. It’ll be the biggest opening post lockdown.”
Girish Johar, producer, and film business analyst, in agreement, stated, “KGF - Chapter 2 in Hindi will collect Rs. 35 crore plus on the release day.”
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh refused to give a number but confirmed, “The Hindi version will be the biggest opener post lockdown by a huge mile.”
However, he remarked, “Imagine, 4 years ago, when the first part clashed with Zero (2018), people were mocking it for taking on such a big film. A section of people had predicted that it’ll sink without a trace on day 1 itself. However, Zero was a complete fiasco. As for KGF 2, the fact that we are talking about the advance booking shows the kind of goodwill that the film’s first part has generated.”
Raj Bansal however, predicted that “Day 1 collections would be in the range of Rs. 45-50 crore.” He continued, “War (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019) ke aaju baaju khulegi. Also, with Jersey being postponed, it’ll get a wide release.” Both War and Avengers: Endgame had collected more than Rs. 50 crore on day 1.
KGF 2’s screen count
The screen count of KGF - Chapter 2’s Hindi version is still undecided. But Atul Mohan said that “It’ll be the biggest release post-pandemic.” Raj Bansal explained, “RRR also had a huge release but its showcasing was reduced a bit due to The Kashmir Files. KGF - Chapter 2, meanwhile will get the biggest screen count, of around 5000+ screens. It’ll be the biggest release and will challenge the pre-pandemic collections as well.”
The Beast factor
The Vijay starrer Beast will be released in Hindi (titled Raw) as well in the same week as KGF - Chapter 2. However, the trade experts don’t have many expectations from it. Taran Adarsh said, “There’s no awareness for Raw in the Hindi market. Pushpa had an awareness. Allu Arjun has a terrific fan base, and so does Vijay. But a little bit of a push makes a difference.”
Girish Johar, in agreement, said, “Beast in Hindi will have some traction. Down South, however, it’ll be a film to watch out for.” Ran Bansal agreed, “Beast has no buzz in Hindi. It’ll have a limited release. In Tamil Nadu, however, it’s a rage. But not in North India.”
KGF 2 lifetime predictions
With day 1 certain to be record-breaking, it remains to be seen how much KGF - Chapter 2 manages to earn in its lifetime. Girish Johar cautioned, “Even if it does Rs. 100 crore in 3-4 days, it’ll be a feat. However, such films are usually front-loaded. They start well and then the content does the talking. With a start like this, it can go anywhere.”
Raj Bansal made another prediction, “I haven’t seen the film. But as a distributor, I am getting the feeling that it will go beyond Rs. 250 crore for sure. It can go anywhere.” Taran Adarsh is also confident that just like the day 1 collection, even the lifetime earnings can be huge. “With Jersey bowing out, it’s now an open field for KGF - Chapter 2.”
Girish Johar signed off by stating, “A Kannada film opening at Rs. 30 crore with minimalistic promotions tells where the Bollywood film industry is. We really need to introspect big time.”
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