Pushpa: The Rule has done it.
It was expected that the film would take one of the biggest starts ever and that has happened.
The Allu Arjun starrer saw an unprecedented craze all over India and the hype was such that audiences had booked their tickets for as early as 7 am for Thursday.
Typically, there are just a few special shows allotted at this odd hour to satiate fans' interest. But in the case of Pushpa 2, majority of theatres started their shows this early and the occupancy was tremendous.
And this carried on through the day and by evening, majority of the shows were going houseful.
Pushpa 2 was the only film playing across the country. All other holdover releases were sidelined as distributors and exhibitors came together to ensure that the Pushpa 2 euphoria was well complimented by the huge release strategy.
That has resulted in record numbers.
The Hindi version of Pushpa 2 has taken a start of Rs 70 crore* (Rs 700 million) and that's as huge as it gets.
Allu Arjun has seen only one pan-India release before this, the first Pushpa. But he has become a brand between the release of these two films and the fanbase has truly acknowledged his presence.
The best part is that the Sukumar-directed film has been liked by critics as well as audiences. That will ensure that the four-day extended weekend will bring in record collections.
Stay tuned, as several records are set to be shattered.
*Estimates. Final numbers awaited.
Note: All collections as per various box office sources.
