BOMBAY TIMES (December 25, 2015)
The view on Shah Rukh Khan, Rohit Shetty and Varun Dhawan's Dilwale may be polarised, but these Bollywood men know their business. Their film, which opened on December 18, is the first choice for family audiences. It released on a non-holiday with other movies and some serious external disturbances. However, the family entertainer not only clocked in a brilliant first weekend and first week collection, but also registered the biggest weekend of 2015 overseas.
Everyone knows that SRK and Rohit are a magical combination. Their Chennai Express is sitting pretty in the Rs 200-crore club. Their current outing, which has Kajol teaming up with her favourite costar Shah Rukh and Varun serenading Kriti Sanon, is also headed in the direction of big box office numbers.
A trade source says, “Today itself, the film will be crossing the Rs 100-crore mark in India. It is a whopper overseas and this is just the beginning. The Christmas and New Year vacation has begun. Since last night, we have seen a massive jump in the figures. Besides registering the highest opening in the UK, Gulf, Australia and Malaysia, the film is also in the top 10 box office charts of USA and New Zealand. SRK is the undisputed king of the overseas market as far as Bollywood goes. He has a massive fan following in many European markets.“
Varun's popularity as a young heartthrob, too, has added to the collections with his fans rooting for his latest outing.
Rohit, who co-produced and directed Dilwale, is a happy man. He says, “My audience, which basically consists of families and young children, has favoured my film. We stand vindicated with the box office collections.“
Asked about the experience of collaborating with Shah Rukh for the second time, Rohit states, “I enjoyed working with SRK in Chennai Express and Dilwale has strengthened our bond. I have not seen a superstar with these levels of energy and commitment.“ Rohit continues, “I must also add that working with Varun for the first time was a fabulous experience. For someone who is so young, he has a loyal fan base. He does not take anything for granted and is always willing to go the extra mile.“
With a big smile, the film maker signs off, “I thank the audience, especially the kids, for making Dilwale what it is.“
Everyone knows that SRK and Rohit are a magical combination. Their Chennai Express is sitting pretty in the Rs 200-crore club. Their current outing, which has Kajol teaming up with her favourite costar Shah Rukh and Varun serenading Kriti Sanon, is also headed in the direction of big box office numbers.
A trade source says, “Today itself, the film will be crossing the Rs 100-crore mark in India. It is a whopper overseas and this is just the beginning. The Christmas and New Year vacation has begun. Since last night, we have seen a massive jump in the figures. Besides registering the highest opening in the UK, Gulf, Australia and Malaysia, the film is also in the top 10 box office charts of USA and New Zealand. SRK is the undisputed king of the overseas market as far as Bollywood goes. He has a massive fan following in many European markets.“
Varun's popularity as a young heartthrob, too, has added to the collections with his fans rooting for his latest outing.
Rohit, who co-produced and directed Dilwale, is a happy man. He says, “My audience, which basically consists of families and young children, has favoured my film. We stand vindicated with the box office collections.“
Asked about the experience of collaborating with Shah Rukh for the second time, Rohit states, “I enjoyed working with SRK in Chennai Express and Dilwale has strengthened our bond. I have not seen a superstar with these levels of energy and commitment.“ Rohit continues, “I must also add that working with Varun for the first time was a fabulous experience. For someone who is so young, he has a loyal fan base. He does not take anything for granted and is always willing to go the extra mile.“
With a big smile, the film maker signs off, “I thank the audience, especially the kids, for making Dilwale what it is.“