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Rajkumar Hirani’s PK satirised the “business” of godmen but the gods of wealth seem to be smiling on it. The Aamir Khan-starrer has become the highest box office revenue-collector in 2014, kicking Salman Khan’s Kick out of the coveted spot.
Made on a budget of Rs 100 crore (including print and promotion), according to industry sources, the film — also starring Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani and Sushant Singh Rajput — was released in 4,000 screens across India on December 19.
It has already collected Rs 236.24 crore — Rs 53.66 crore in its second weekend, and Rs 182.58 crore in its first week.
Kick — directorial debut of veteran producer Sajid Nadiadwala — had a box office collection of Rs 233 crore in India.
Co-produced by Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, in association with UTV Motion Pictures, PK has achieved this feat within 10 days of release. As a thumb rule, producers get anywhere between 47 to 50 per cent of the net box office collection (after tax) while the rest goes to the exhibitors. The producers’ share from domestic collections thus far is Rs 111 crore to Rs 118 crore.
Adding to the profits will be the collections from the first phase of release abroad.
The film was released in the traditional Bollywood territories overseas such as North America, UK, West Asia, Pakistan and Australia.
PK has earned $17.7 million (Rs 110 crore) so far, with many territories yet to report the final collections for the weekend. It has become the biggest Bollywood import to North America and Australia this year.
All eyes are now set on the Rs 284-crore mark — the highest lifetime domestic collection by a Bollywood movie. Yash Raj Films’ Dhoom 3 (2013) — another Aamir Khan-starrer — acheived that record.
