KALCHAs HAPPY DAYS BOX-OFFICE UPDATE AND A NEW PREDICTION…
Sunday, November 4th, 2007HAPPY DAYS gripped every average movie goer’s imagination like no other film has in recent times. Happy Days and its CREATOR SEKHAR KAMMULA started creating new records and sensations even before its release.
The records and sensations that HAPPY DAYS is creating…
1. Sekhar Kammula chose his cast very carefully by advertising in the media for auditions. In Tollywood, these are rare things to happen. Normally, it is only the SONS, COUSINS, NEPHEWS or just any RELATIVE or CHAMCHAS of some prominent film personalities that make it to the TOLLYWOOD FILMDOM.
2. Sekhar Kammula chose a new strategy of releasing Telugu movies. Happy Days got released a full 4 days in advance in USA. It released on 2nd, October in A.P. This shows the MARKETING ACUMEN of Sekhar Kammula. He correctly identified his target demographics. Though these are common practices in Hollywood, they are refreshing for Tollywood.
3. Happy Days was released with just 25 Prints. The Media Attention and curiosity among the general audience were never before seen over such a small release. Subsequently, the count was increased to 60 and then to 90 and now Dil Raju is promising to add at least 40-50 prints taking the total to over 130.
4. Happy Days was being released among a bunch of high profile releases like CHIRUTHA, BHAYYA, THULASI and ATHIDHI. Normally, these are perfect settings for even a good movie like Happy Days to get IGNORED. But, I am really HAPPY AND PROUD to say that Telugu film audiences have matured beyond my expectations. Happy Days has not only managed to stand on its own merit, but also emerged as the biggest BLOCKBUSTER of the year so far.
5. Happy Days is also setting the music charts on fire. Probably with a negligent acquisition price for the music rights, the audio company BIG MUSIC is enjoying some handsome profits.
6. Happy Days is definitely going to surpass my prediction on GROSS COLLECTION FIGURES. In fact, more than Sekhar, it is Dil Raju that is more happy with Happy Days. Dil Raju is just back in business after the humiliating debacle of ANNAVARAM, MUNNA and HELLO PREMISTARA. At the end of its whole run, Happy Days will surely collect Rs. 30+ Crores worldwide.
7. As of today, HAPPY DAYS is easily on its way of becoming the HIGHEST GROSSING Telugu film in USA ever. It will quite easily beat the records set by POKIRI and BOMMARILLU. At the end of its whole run in USA and other overseas centers like AUSTRALIA, UK and the GULF, it will gross between Rs. 6-9 Crores… The logic is quite simple. Bommarillu collected at an average of Rs. 535 per head over 65,000+ audiences in USA alone to collect approximately Rs. 3.5 Cr. I now expect that Happy Days would be watched by at least 120,000+ including USA and other overseas centers. Simple calculator would bring the figure to over Rs. 6 Crores. (I made a blunder earlier stating it as Rs. 9+ Cr. due to negligence which I corrected with the help of a Good Samaritan AS REDDY through his comments. I profoundly thank him for that.)
UPDATE: 05/11/2007
The latest collection trends suggest that HAPPY DAYS is going from strength to strength in USA. While ATHIDHI, CHIRUTHA and THULASI made huge losses to the DISTRIBUTORS and EXHIBITORS in USA, HAPPY DAYS is earning them handsome profits. Already 50,000 viewers have watched it and the ticket is priced at just $10. The investments incurred on it were Rs. 0.7 + 0.15 Crores. It has already collected well over Rs. 2 Crores. I am now confident that it will achieve my prediction as it is still running very successfully with a large number of shows.
8. MAA TV acquired the Television Rights for a reported Rs. 1.15 Crores. This is on par with some of the BIG BUDGET FLICKS staring HUGE STARS. That is quite an achievement for a bunch of new comers.
9. HAPPY DAYS is still having a HOSE-FULL run in most of the theaters worldwide. The average occupancy rates are still 75%+ worldwide. In 5th week, that figure spells just one thing… BLOCKBUSTER.
10. Personally I am very Happy that HAPPY DAYS was voted by 193 UNIQUE VISITORS as on date with an average 4.5 STARS on my SITE. Consider the fact that my SITE is relatively very NEW.
11. Amidst all the FAKE Box-Office figures by CHIRUTHA and ATHIDHI, I was on a Box-Office fact checking mission recently criss-crossing through some of the towns and villages in A.P. I interacted with many of the theater managements in C areas also. What surprised me the most is the fact that not only those records were FAKE… but also HAPPY DAYS was faring well in my BIRTH PLACE KAVALI. Generally, Kavali is a pucca mass town. But Chirutha and Athidhi made huge losses to the theater owners. Whereas, Happy Days made a hefty profit to the theater owner. I think that sums up the BOX-OFFICE positions of the movies released recently.
I think most of you are aware that DEVI 70mm of Hyderabad is the main theater for HAPPY DAYS. I predict that it will beat many records set by many FRONT LINE STARS in DEVI 70mm. I also predict that HAPPY DAYS will beat NINNE PELLADUTHA and CHANDRAMUKHI in the gross collections arena in DEVI 70mm. Ninne Pelladutha collected Rs. 1,03,72,483 in 189 days in DEVI 70mm. CHANDRAMUKHI collected a gross of Rs. 94 Lakhs in 100 days.
UPDATE: 11/11/2007
Much later I made the above prediction… DEVI 70mm theater management announced the 1st Record in what could be a series of records. HAPPY DAYS in its first 40 days of release in the theater collected a whopping Rs. 59,99,368/- GROSS. What did i say guys/gals? I am ecstatic that HAPPY DAYS has showcased the power of good cinema despite Big Budget flicks Chirutha and Athidhi. This is a very welcome change and seems to me that Telugu cinema is emerging from its dark days of stardom and moving towards the greatness of good cinema.
Some great comments by my readers on HAPPY DAYS REVIEW…
CHAITANYA SAID, “Hi, I can co-relate many instances of the movie to my college life and its really refreshing…and was touching too….i liked it very much..Especially Tyson(Rahul) stealed the show with his innocence. Its the first Telugu movie I liked watching after I have been to US and I could find many of my old buddies and seniors in the theater and that was refreshing. Thanks to Shekar Kammula for such a wonderful movie.
BINDU MADHAVI SAID, “evryone is gr8 in the movie gayatri is too good next is tyson(rahul) also chandu(sandesh) these three n tamanna r gr actors nikhil has gr sense of humor wat i liked the best is the value of frenship ….. its an awesome movie thanx a lot sekhar sir for givin such a gr8 movie”
SIVA SAID, “You said every thing very reasonably. I appreciate your review very much. Even though this movie is having many drawbacks like other movies but it is far away from all other rubbish telugu movies. To me the real leading character of the movie is Tyson (Rahul really did a great job). Every other character has it’s own importance and matches to many of the real personalities in our lives. Saying someone did well and someone not is simply lying or not understanding the character and it’s scope. Every character is well designed to it’s extent. Even though like you said pandu should have some time to show, this can’t be possible due to time constraints. The ethical values maintained by Sekhar are superb. It is not possible by nowadays film makers. We can pour our money and time for 6 fights,6 songs, continuous blah blah dialogues and much of nonsense in our movies and will watch them for many times. But when it comes to a good movie like this we emphasize about it’s minus points only. We have to change our mindsets. Hollywood found what makes a good movie and so Bollywood. For Tollywood it’ll take long time. Sorry for boring, but this movie is worth these lines. Even though I don’t prefer to watch this movie for it’s romantic content, I like the way how every one’s character matures.”
VENKY SAID, “I am in US - North Carolina. When the movie was released here, I missed it somehow because of conflicting schedules. After that, I waited for it every weekend for the re-release. Finally, Yesterday they released it again and this time I did not miss it. Oh Boy… What a movie!!! I will not say anything about the movie. But, I am going to watch it again today… One of the best I have seen. Even though its released second time, the theatre is full. In US, a movie rarely comes to theatres again after its first release. But, this movie was released again and it’s house full even after it released second time. I have to go early to the theatre today otherwise I may not get the tickets.”
ANONYMOUS SAID, “Hi! I watched this movie day before yesterday. Its really rocking. I haven’t seen such a natural performance of actors that too debut actors. Simply amazing… I went for second time next day. Varun(Chandu), Rahul(Tyson), Sonia(Shravs), Tamanna(Madhu) showed outstanding naturality in their action and expressions. Believe me…when I am watching the movie, after 30 minutes, I forgot that they are acting. Such natural acting. I think the actors have a bright future in tollywood. I will certainly watch the movie at least 5 times. Really it made me to go to college regularly without bunking classes. I learnt that missing college means missing your happy days. Already one year passed. I’ll enjoy the college days this three years. Thanks for Sekhar kammula to present this movie to us. Hope you will make more movies like this in future.”
