Box office: Randeep Hooda's 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar' witnesses impressive jump
Randeep Hooda-led latest biopic, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, had a dull beginning at the box office on Friday, earning only slightly over Rs. 1cr. However, on Saturday, the weekend factor worked in its favor and its performance improved, with the project adding another Rs. 2.25cr. The movie, which marks Hooda's directorial debut, was released in both Hindi and Marathi and will now look at sustaining itself on the ticket windows.
Why does this story matter?
Hooda's film was released head-to-head with Kunal Kemmu's directorial debut, Madgaon Express, which has surpassed the former's collection by a slight margin. In just two days, the comedy caper has earned Rs. 4.50cr. Notably, SVS also faces competition from the occult thriller Shaitaan, which has been running successfully in theaters since March 8. It remains to be seen if SVS will cross the Rs. 10cr mark next week to sustain this competitive run.
In detail: Film's occupancy rates and total collection
By adding an estimated Rs. 2.25cr to its collection, the film's total earnings over two days now stand at Rs. 3.30cr. The film registered an overall occupancy of 25.30% on Saturday. The maximum audience turned up during the night shows (33.45%), followed by the evening shows (29.52%). Positive word of mouth has helped the film stay afloat and it will further aid it on Sunday (day 3).
Story and cast details of the film
SVS is a compelling biographical drama that narrates the life and struggles of polarizing freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, fondly known as Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. The movie covers several years of his life as well as his resistance against the British colonizers. The film stars Ankita Lokhande and Amit Sial in key roles alongside Hooda. The production credits go to Zee Studios, Anand Pandit, Sandeep Singh, Hooda, and Yogesh Rahar.
Praise for Hooda's performance and transformation
Hooda's depiction of the lead character has received widespread acclaim. His physical transformation for the role, which involved losing 30kgs to portray Savarkar's time in a notorious jail in Andaman and Nicobar islands, has been hailed as "unmissable" by critics. Meanwhile, in an interview with Pinkvilla, he elaborated on his transformation, "Being starving and underweight as an actor is a luxury, being starving and underweight as a director is a curse."
