3 Idiots has passed the cinegoer’s test with flying colours. The Aamir Khan-starrer raked in Rs 12.5 crore on Friday. Experts estimate the movie to net Rs 40 crore over the first weekend from the box office, with gross collections of Rs 65 crore. Khan’s last release, Ghajini, earned around Rs 40 crore net in the first four days, since the movie released on a Thursday. Aamir Khan said: “The response is huge, we are still gathering the enormity of opening collections. To match Ghajini’s opening day collections is something, to surpass Ghajini is completely overwhelming.”
“3 Idiots would set the record for the biggest opening of this year,” added Ashish Saksena, COO, BIG Cinemas. Till date, Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone starrer Love Aaj Kal topped the chart with net collections of Rs 28 crore on first three days, followed by Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, featuring Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor and Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor’s Kambakkht Ishq, both at around Rs 23-24 crore.
Across multiplexes, the movie has witnessed over 95 per cent occupancies. “The film has lived up to expectations. We are hoping the extended holiday on Monday will add to 3 Idiots’ festivity,” confirmed Alok Tandon, CEO, INOX Leisure.
“The movie definitely had a repeat value,” said a media expert. No wonder, the producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, was able to convince theatre chain owners to increase ticket prices 30 per cent for evening shows and almost 100 per cent for morning shows. Ticket prices now range between Rs 300 and Rs 350 per person for evening shows and Rs 100-120 for morning shows. 3 Idiots released with over 1,500 prints in India and 344 prints overseas.