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Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Smashes Records in US, England

Arthur J Pais

Since the showbiz weekly Variety started reporting the box office returns of Indian movies in America about a year ago, occasionally one found a movie like Sarfarosh among the top 100 grossing films of the week. But Indian movies were usually listed in the last quarter of the list.

In the current issue of Variety there was no Indian film listed in the last quarter, even though there was speculation that Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam would gross about $ 100,000. The speculators were wrong.

The film, starring Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan and Aishwarya Rai, and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, flew into the 19th place on the box office charts in North America.

Released on June 18 on 35 screens in the US and Canada, it grossed $ 400,000 in the first week. The collections in the second week are down by a moderate 15 per cent. In England, where the movie started with 20 screens, it grossed $ 86,000 and was ranked 9th.

Among the new movies released in England on June 18, Cruel Intentions grossed over $ 2.2 million but it was on 223 screens and Woody Allen's Celebrity, which made $ 359,000 on 53 screens.

"This is the kind of film that theater owners have been waiting for a long time," says film commentator Suprotim Bose. "It could end up grossing $ 1.25 million in North America if the current pace holds good."

And in doing so, it will surpass the box office returns of recent hits such as Sarfarosh which grossed a strong $ 700,000. The box office clout of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is better appreciated when compared to moderate hits like Sirf Tum, which has grossed about $ 200,000 and is winding its run.

"The big success of Hum Dil De... is even sweeter when you realize that it was not expected to be a huge hit till the other day," Bose continues. "Even when the buzz was becoming stronger for Hum Dil De... day by day for the last week or so, exhibitors were waiting for Taal to smash a few records. But it looks like it will be mighty difficult for any film to dislodge Hum Dil De... for several weeks."

For distributors Video Sound, the film's success comes immediately after a successful run by Biwi No 1, which reportedly grossed $ 600,000, and a lackluster showing of Sooryavansham.

For a college student like Simran Baweja the movie has placed her in some sort of a dilemma. "I have seen it four times in a week," she says. "Now I have to work extra hours on a Saturday -- or perhaps work on Sunday to save money to see it again. And then I better have some money to see Taal."

RELATED FEATURE:
The Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam review

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