If one has to take into consideration one of the biggest turnaround stories of the decade gone by when it comes to commercial response to a film, it has to be that of Housefull 4. On its pre-Diwali release, many in the trade, industry as well as a segment of audiences were eager to write it off, despite an opening day number of Rs 19.08 crore.
While it was quite apparent that there was a smear campaign (especially on social media) running against the film for at least one full week, all wagging tongues were silenced when the film was accepted by audiences in a really big way.
Result? Just from Indian theatrical perspective, the film continued to earn big moolah, entered the Rs 200 crore Club, and in turn emerge as a superhit at the box office.
Well, as things look like currently, this was pretty much just a trailer as 'picture abhi baaki hai'! Just like has been the case with the three earlier installments of the Housefull franchise as well, even this fourth offering has taken a phenomenal start on the satellite (and also digital) circuits.
One of the major barometers of a film's success lies in the kind of impressions that it gets on its satellite debut, and then the re-runs that follow. While one waits to see how the film does on its successive screenings, on its debut it has set a huge record.
Amongst all the releases of 2019, Housefull 4 has taken the biggest start of them, while being next only to blockbusters like Baahubali: The Conclusion and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and also a major family superhit, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. While this is a milestone for any major film, and a historic one, what further makes this success music to the ears is the fact that it came in the face of all the adversities.
Of course, the film's producer Sajid Nadiadwala as well as his leading man Akshay Kumar were always quite sure about the film's success, with Fox Star Studios backing it to the fullest. They waited patiently for the entire weekend of uncertainties before floodgates opened after Diwali. Their confidence and conviction in the film paid off theatrically and now even in its satellite launch which took place merely two months later, there have been excellent numbers recorded.
The film's debut on satellite is bigger than the likes of other high profile films like Baahubali: The Beginning, Akshay Kumar's own 2.0 (Hindi), surprise biggie Dhadak, Aamir Khan's mega blockbuster Dangal and fun entertainers like Golmaal Again and Total Dhamaal, hence turning out to be the biggest comedy to find its way at the top.
What is all the more remarkable about the film's super success on this medium is the fact that unlike Baahubali: The Conclusion, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Bajrangi Bhaijaan which first came on the satellite medium and then were unveiled on the digital platform, Housefull 4 was out there almost simultaneously, hence further dividing the viewers.
Had the two launches been spaced out further and the film would have arrived first on satellite, the viewership would have been most definitely even bigger, and perhaps challenged the three biggies on the top.
Nonetheless, with the kind of start that Housefull 4 has already taken on both the satellite as well as the digital medium, it has now moved into the blockbuster zone. The subsequent re-runs and sustained viewing would be tracked quite closely as bigger milestones could well be achieved by the biggie in weeks and months to come.
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