'Dhoom 2' creates 'dhoom' in India, overseas

New Delhi, Dec 1: A 'Greek Godesque' Hrithik Roshan, with a style to match, and a 'svelte-look' Aishwarya Rai in her new 'sexy siren avataar' in Sanjay Gadhvi's 'Dhoom 2' has weaved its magic on cigegoers across the country and abroad! The "sexy and stylish" pairing of Hrithik and Aishwarya, coupled with the "out-of-the-world" action stunts in the action thriller, a sequel to the 2004 blockbuster 'Dhoom' have bowled over audiences, fetching for the film histories collections in India as well as overseas.

Like its predecessor, 'Dhoom 2', which released all over the World on November 24, has shattered all previous box office records, screening to full houses or near full houses in its opening week.

Trade sources said the film had unprecedented collections in its opening weekend with the cinema halls screening the film in several areas witnessing a heavy rush for the tickets.

Such was the craze for the film that even in areas where there was no concept of advance booking, the system of booking seats in advance had to be introduced owing to the huge clamour for tickets.

And, the tickets for the entire weekend were full withing minutes of the advance booking being opened. For example, in Sagar, which has no system of advance bookings, tickets for the entire weekend were booked well in advance.

In many areas, police and security personnel had to be called in to control the unmanageable crowd of cinegoers who had thronged the cinema halls to watch the film.

In a cinema halls in Raipur in Chhattisgarh, for a show slated to begin at 0500 hours on the opening day of the film's release, huge crowd of cinegoers gathered at the ticket window from midnight the previous night braving the the cold weather.

In yet another incident, a disruption of the screening of 'Dhoom 2' at a cinema halls in Ratlam due to power failure led to violence and ransacking of the cinema halls by impatient cinegoers.

In areas like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore, having a system of advance booking, tickets for almost the entire opening week were booked in advance.

For example, in the capital Delhi, where the film was not released at the PVR and the Wave chain of multiplexes, all the single screen cinema halls as well as multiplexes like Satyam and Fun multiplexes reported a heavy rush in advance booking for the film.

The film also had an excellent opening in the overseas markets. In the United Kingdom, 'Dhoom 2' opened at number six in top ten charts, with collections of 415701 UK pounds (nearly Rs 3 crore) from 51 cinema screens, ahead of Hollywood films like the Hugh Jackman thriller 'The Prestige', 'Step Up' and 'Saw III'. What was further remarkable was the fact that it notched up the second highest per screen average among the top ten starrers in UK.

The film had a per screen average of 8151 UK pounds (Nearly Rs 6 lakh), behind only 'Casino Royale', which had a per screen average of 16889 UK pounds.

In terms of its per screen average, 'Dhoom 2' performed better than Hollywood films like 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan' and 'The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause'.

In the United States too, 'Dhoom 2' had the third largest opening ever for a Bollywood film in North America, earning 979,001 US Dollars (nearly Rs 4 crore) during its opening weekend.

Trade analysts say the film, which officially opened at No. 17 at the US box office charts, also had the biggest opening ever for a non-Shah Rukh Khan film.

Infact, they say the breathtaking stunts of the film, most of which are of the kind never-before-seen on the Indian screen, impart a 'Hollywoodesque' feel to 'Dhoom 2'.

Scenes like Hrithik Roshan givin the police a slip by displaying his roller skating skills and that of Hrithik and Aishwarya jumping down a steep valley together make the film a "bigger thrill ride" than 'Dhoom'.

A high point of the film is presence of Hrithik Roshan Trade analysts say Hrithik Roshan's cool and chilled out attitude and his dashing appearance, replete with scrunched blonde hair and a tanned look which signifies his raw and carefree nature, have been loved by the cinegoers, specially leaving the youngsters mesmerized by his presence.

As the 'cool thief' Aryan, Hrithik looks like a Greek God, changes disguises with cosmetic perfection, performs his trunts with extraordinary finesse and dances like a dream, all of which him the rightful owner of the 'tag' of the next Superstar.

If Hrithik's Greek God looks and 'cool thief' act has garnered applause from cinegoers across the country, Former Miss World's Aishwarya Rai's new sexy look in 'Dhoom 2' has evoked huge cheers from audiences.

Ash's tanned bronze get up with sun kissed hair, coupled with her appearance in short skirts and a bikini, as 'Sunehri', the girl with limpid blue eyes who wins Hrithik's heart, has send the pulse rate soaring among the audience.

Analysts say the new slim and svelte Aishwarya with her 'drop dead gorgeous' looks could give the current crop of sultry sirens a run for their money.

Trade observers say that given the historic initial taken by 'Dhoom 2' across the country and abroad, it could well turn out to be the fastest money spinner in Bollywood to date more so since the film has been released with 1000 plus prints.

Even according to a modest estimate, 'Dhoom 2' is expected to garner Rs 40 crore at the box office during its first week run at the cinema halls through the nation. The overseas earnings, if the NRI audience takes to the movie, will be the proverbial cherry on the cake.

To cash in on the huge curiosity level that the film has generated, the producers Yashraj films have also released Tamil and Telugu versions of the film in several parts of South India simultaneously with the original Hindi version of the film.

UNI