For south films, earnings go north

The Yash-starrer is helmed by Prashanth Neel

South films seem to have worked their charm at the box office, even as their Hindi counterparts have been struggling post the pandemic. Barely a month after SS Rajamouli's RRR took the box-office by storm, KGF: Chapter 2 has set the cash registers ringing. The Yash-starrer - shot in Kannada and dubbed in multiple languages - crossed the Rs 100-crore mark in worldwide collections on its opening day, going on to earn R500 crore by Sunday.

One could argue that Prashanth Neel's directorial venture did not have the disadvantage that many films before it did - that of tackling audience's hesitancy to head to theatres. However, Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 multiplex and Maratha Mandir, points out that the actioner had a hurdle in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). "It is surprising to see a pan-India film doing extraordinary business when the IPL is going on. KGF: Chapter 2 has been going housefull [in my theatres]. Usually, we see a dip in the collections during the IPL, but this time around, people are stepping out to watch the film," he says. Desai adds that the roaring business done by the recent south releases have helped exhibitors bounce back after the post-pandemic lull. "Our business is back on track, and I am grateful to films like KGF: Chapter 2, RRR, Pushpa [2021] and Sooryavanshi [2021] for helping us. We need such Hindi films that will be on par with south offerings."

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh notes that the actioner - also starring Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon - has surpassed expectations. "The
[Hindi version] earned Rs 200 crore [in the domestic market] in five days. If the content is good, the film will work, regardless of the IPL."