SRK scores big on home pitch

- RECORD OPENING WEEKEND FOR MY
NAME IS KHAN
Shah Rukh Khan is a Calcuttan.
“I do feel a sense of ownership in
Calcutta ….It’s like they own me….I can
sense it, that people think of me as
someone who belongs there,” the boss of
the Kolkata Knight Riders told Metro on
Wednesday.
He was reacting to news that My Name Is
Khan had broken all opening weekend box-
office records on his new-found home
ground.
The Karan Johar film about Rizvan Khan’s
journey across America to meet the US
President collected Rs 2.35 crore net over
the first three days in the Bengal territory.
“It is the biggest three-day opening for any
film in this region,” said Mahendra Soni of
Shree Venkatesh Films, the film’s regional
distributors.
Bigger than 3 Idiots? “Yes the first
weekend of MNIK is better than 3 Idiots
here,” said Arun Mehra of Aum Moviez, the
distributor of 3 Idiots in Bengal, who is
handling the Shah Rukh release in three
other territories.
Aamir Khan had enjoyed a four-day
weekend thanks to the paid previews
organised by multiplexes on Thursday
evening, but with Shah Rukh enjoying
around 30 more screens — a total of 130
across Bengal — My Name Is Khan has
edged past 3 Idiots.
“It’s heartening to hear the reactions and
the commercial feedback of our film,”
Karan Johar messaged Metro from Mumbai.
“It’s been a journey like Rizvan’s and am
glad ours ended positively,” added the
director, referring to the Shiv Sena protests
in Maharashtra on Friday the 12th.
Maharashtra’s loss was Bengal’s gain, with
the region laying a greater claim to Shah
Rukh’s latest screen success. “Bengal
usually accounts for around 5 per cent of
the total earnings of the country but for My
Name Is Khan it’s done almost 10 per cent
of the all-India collections for the first
weekend,” said Soni of Venkatesh.
Distributor-exhibitor Arijit Dutta added that
Shah Rukh films had “historically done very
well” in Calcutta. “Right from Baazigar to
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Swades to Don to
Om Shanti Om, SRK is a favourite here.
MNIK too has made a very good start and
even the fall on Monday is only marginal,”
he said about the collections at Priya.
But who are flocking to see a “serious film”
on a “serious issue” with Shah Rukh Khan
the actor replacing SRK the superstar?
“There was a concern whether a film like
MNIK would do well commercially, as it
may not appeal to the youngsters so much.
But the film is definitely bringing in families,
women and Muslims,” said Soni.
So, will My Name Is Khan beat the 3 Idiots
record? Unlikely, says the trade. “The film
may be good but it is not entertaining
enough for repeat audiences,” said Mehra.
“Because it’s opened so wide, it may not
have long legs, especially with the IPL
around the corner,” added Soni.
Shah Rukh feels — or maybe hopes — that
“the second week should also hold high”.
And with no big Bollywood release this
Friday, he may well be right.
Now it’s up to the old Don, Amitabh
Bachchan, or the maker of the new Don
Farhan Akhtar to stop SRK with Teen Patti
or Karthik Calling Karthik on February 26.