'Bastar: The Naxal Story' opens to disappointing box office numbers
What's the story
Adah Sharma's latest film, Bastar: The Naxal Story, hit theaters on Friday and reunites the same team behind The Kerala Story.
Directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the movie aims to portray the harsh reality of Naxalites in the Bastar region.
Despite its intentions, the film has only managed to collect around Rs. 50 lakh on its opening day.
Day 1
Chennai registered maximum occupancy in theaters
According to industry tracker Sacnilk's report, the movie witnessed maximum occupancy in Chennai among the main regions.
It witnessed a turnout of 25.67% in the Hindi language, followed by Jaipur at 18.25% and Bhopal at 14.75%.
In terms of occupancy in the shows, 11.35% of the audience preferred to watch the film during the night. The evening, morning, and afternoon shows recorded 7.68%, 7.07%, and 5.78%, respectively.
Ticket window battle
The film is facing tough competition from 'Yodha' and 'Shaitaan'
Bastar: The Naxal Story is facing tough competition from Sidharth Malhotra's action thriller Yodha and Ajay Devgn-R Madhavan's Shaitaan.
While Yodha raked in Rs. 4.25 crore on its first day, Bastar clearly paled in comparison.
Moreover, among the two films, Yodha generated buzz leading up to its release, while Bastar didn't have any hype around it.
The way forward is even more difficult with the upcoming releases of Madgaon Express and Swantantrya Veer Savarkar, premiering next Friday.
About the film
All about 'Bastar's cast and plot
The movie boasts an ensemble cast, including Sharma, Indira Tiwari, Vijay Krishna, Shilpa Shukla, Yashpal Sharma, Subrat Dutta, and Raima Sen.
Allegedly inspired by real events involving Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, the film delves into the impact of Naxalism on independent India over the past 50 years.
The film is set between 2005 and 2013, covering three major Naxal incidents—the petition against Salwa Jadun, the 2010 Dantewada attack on the CRPF, and a Congress leader's assassination.
Is 'Bastar' a propaganda film?
Sharma responded to accusations of propaganda
Following the release of the teaser and trailer, some critics compared Bastar: The Naxal Story to the controversial film The Kerala Story, labeling it as propaganda.
In a recent interview with News18, Sharma addressed these accusations, stating, "It's a democracy - people can choose to watch a film or not, they can comment after watching a film or not."
"And we should also be respecting those who are making comments without watching the film because that's their choice."