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'Mann' Sizzles Among Britain's 10 Ten; 'Hum Dil De...' Approaches $1.5 Million Mark

Arthur J Pais in New York

The love triangle drama Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, having crossed the $ 1 million landmark in the United States by July second week, grossed about $ 100,00 last week at about 25 movie houses, promising to wind up with at least $ 1.3 million. In the United Kingdom, it has grossed about $ 360,000. In America, the movie has appealed across a number of demographic groups, particularly among moviegoers from the West Indies.

"It is a perfect summer date movie," says Deepan Singh, 21, who has seen it at least four times in New York theaters. "It is sentimental and yet it sounds and looks like a Hollywood film."

But Hote Hote Pyar Ho Gaya has not been lucky. After a reasonably good opening, it took a whopping 59 per cent drop in the second week, with just about $ 65,000 collected from 16 movie houses, and by the third week, it was ready to disappear from the radar screen, with a $ 280,000 gross. Still some trade pundits believe the movie performed better than expected, given the fact that it took a long time to materialize.

In England, it grossed a paltry $ 75,000 in three weeks.

But Mann flew into the top 10 movies bracket in its opening week in England, grossing $ 212,000 on 23 screens; its $ 9,240 screen average, was the highest in that country. It was the ninth highest grossing film in England

10 Things I hate About You, shown on 212 screens and released in the same week as Mann, grossed about $ 1.2 million in England, with a $ 6,000 screen average. Mann reportedly saw a 20 per cent decline in the second week. It could end its British run with at least $ 700,000, industry insiders say. Some predict a $ 1 million gross, if the word of mouth continues to be as strong as it has been in the first two weeks.

Yash Raj Films, which distributed Mann in England and have the worldwide rights for it, has not released the figures for North America. Several theaters, however, reported full houses at last two weekends.

If Mann turned out to be a smash hit in North America, and Taal too does whopping business, the North American box-office gross for Indian movies could get a significant boost this year.

Last year, Indian movies, led by Hindi movies, reportedly grossed about $ 12 million in North America. This year the box-office could zoom to $ 14 million not only due to the smashing success of Hum Dil De..., Sarfarosh and Mann (and the huge potential for Taal) but also due to the state-of-the art movie theaters that are springing up in several parts of the country. In Plainfield, New Jersey, last week, Mann opened at the glitzy Strand, and the Regal, also in New Jersey, boasts of many state-of-the art features.

"The brighter the movie house and the better equipped it is, it draws the younger audiences," says Gitesh Pandya, movie commentator and editor of the Internet publication, Boxoffice Guru (www.boxofficeguru.com).

"More younger people in movie houses means a big boost at the concession stands. Besides, younger people also see a film a number of times, helping it become a super hit."

THE REVIEWS:

Mann
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

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