ROCKING NOVEMBER’S SOLE WEAK FRIDAY IS HERE
The month of November is expected to be far more exciting than October, though Diwali and the related holidays were celebrated in the latter. This is because the films being released in November carry tremendous buzz and seem promising, be it Uunchai, Bhediya or Drishyam 2. This Friday, however, will stand out as all the films releasing seem weak and will have a tough time at the box office. My analysis:
PHONE BHOOT: It is a horror comedy, starring Katrina Kaif, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Ishaan Khatter. It is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment and seems to be a youthful entertainer. The trailer was okay but gave a vibe that it can make for a fun watch. Also, Katrina has a huge following among the youth and she can pull in audiences. Though the actors promoted the film extensively, the buzz is limited. As a result, it’ll open at around Rs. 2-3 crores range.
MILI: It stars Janhvi Kapoor and tells an interesting story of a girl, who gets trapped in a freezer. It is a remake of the Malayalam film Helen and just like the original, the Hindi version is also directed by Mathukutty Xavier. It is co-produced by Boney Kapoor and this means that this is the first time that Janhvi Kapoor is working with her father. However, the excitement for the film is very low. Its opening will be around Rs. 50 lakhs and might go upto Rs. 1 crore, if the reports are very positive.
DOUBLE XL: It is the first production of Huma Qureshi and Saqib Saleem. Huma also stars in the film along with Sonakshi Sinha. As the title suggests, it is a story of two plus-sized girls. The film seems quite relatable but the trailer or the songs haven’t worked. The release is limited and it might struggle to even do Rs. 30 or Rs. 40 lakhs on the first day of its release.
BANARAS: It is a Kannada film dubbed in Hindi. It has no star cast and zero awareness. But as witnessed in the past, sometimes, these South dubbed films can spring a surprise. Hence, trade has decided not to write off Banaras as yet.