Huge Film, Low Bookings: 375 Cr or 225 Cr Loss?

With three days left for release, Housefull 5 is creating headlines in terms of its budget and the two versions with different climaxes arriving in theatres. While the advance booking opened a few days ago, the occupancy has not been up to the mark as per expectations.

Akshay Kumar is already going through a bad phase and Housefull 5 needs to become a big blockbuster to get him back on the old position. But considering the advance booking numbers and the big budget of Rs. 375 crores, it seems like the film might go through a very bad phase.

The film’s net collection needs to be almost Rs. 300 crores and for the recovery, the film has to record a number of somewhere between Rs. 340-350 crores. This means that the film needs Rs. 50 crores more than the collections recorded by Good Newz.

The numbers can be achieved as the film is releasing in 5,000 screens across India. For now, the opening day number is expected to be around Rs. 15-20 crores, which is very bad.

The situation was acceptable if the advance booking opened three days before release. But it was opened almost a week ago and it is not that people are not aware of the film arriving in theatres.

Even if all things are ignored, there is a possibility that high ticket prices are keeping people away, specifically in the morning shows. There are a few theatres left in India that offer low rates.

Moreover, the trailer and all other promotional materials have not created enough buzz for the film. The songs have not emerged as big chartbusters and the franchise is possibly changing its focus of attracting both single screen and multiplex audiences.

Although the release of two different versions was expected to contribute to the success of Housefull 5, people are confused as there have been no public announcement in the form of a trailer or poster.

The makers have already opted for other methods to save themselves, including that they have reported a reduced budget of Rs. 225 crores, resulting from the recovery of satellite, OTT, and music rights.

Now everything depends on the word-of-mouth on the first day. The film will release on a normal Friday and the next two days are expected to pull audiences only if the comedy and every other element can leave an impression. Let’s wait until June 6 to find more details.