'Madgaon Express' beats 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar' by a thin margin
What's the story
Kunal Kemmu's first venture as a director, Madgaon Express, has been met with positive feedback from critics and viewers alike, despite a modest box office debut.
The comedy film, featuring Pratik Gandhi, Divyenndu, Avinash Tiwary, and Nora Fatehi, raked in Rs 1.50cr on its first day.
However, due to positive word of mouth, especially among the youth, it is anticipated to gain momentum over the weekend.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Madgaon Express was released on Friday and opened against Randeep Hooda's much-awaited biographical drama, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, made on the life of Hindu nationalist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Madgaon Express performed fairly better than Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, which collected Rs. 1.16cr on its maiden day.
The two new releases are also facing competition from Sidharth Malhotra starter Yodha, which was released in theaters on March 15.
Box office collection day 1
Chennai recorded maximum theater occupancy
Madgaon Express benefitted most from the night shows, recording an occupancy of 17.05% followed by evening shows at 9.99%, afternoon shows at 9.78%, and morning shows at 7.50%.
The film's maximum business, in terms of major cities, came from Chennai, which witnessed a 28.67% occupancy in theaters. Bengaluru stood in second position with 22.50%, and Pune in third with 13.05%.
On his directorial debut
'Madgaon Express' born out of rage: Kemmu
During the trailer launch, Kemmu disclosed that Madgaon Express was conceived out of anger.
He stated, "Often, people say that their venture is a product of love. I think this (Madgaon Express) is a product of rage! Bahut zyada gussa aaya hua tha."
He also admitted to feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about his choices and opted for humor over despair in crafting the film.
About the film
Everything to know about 'Madgaon Express'
Madgaon Express narrates the adventure of three childhood friends who realize their dream of visiting Goa together, only to find themselves chased by two rival mafia dons due to a travel bag mix-up.
The film is backed by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment.
Apart from acting and directing it, Kemmu also composed the film's music along with Ankur Tiwari, Sharib-Toshi, Sagar Desai, Sameer Uddin, and Ajay-Atul.
Kemmu also appears in a cameo.