Advance booking: 'Shaitaan' sells over 16K tickets on Day 1
Ajay Devgn's highly-anticipated horror-thriller Shaitaan kicked off its advance booking with a bang on Sunday, selling over 16,000 tickets on the first day alone. Set to hit theaters on Friday (March 8), the film features a star-studded cast including R Madhavan and Jyotika. Jio Studios, Ajay Devgn Ffilms, and Panorama Studios have collaborated to weave a tale where Madhavan's character exerts a sinister grip over Devgn-Jyotika's daughter.
Why does this story matter?
The recently released trailer for Shaitaan captivated audiences with its spine-tingling elements and gripping theme. Devgn returns to the role of a family man after the success of Drishyam 2, while Madhavan takes on the role of a villain. Directed by Vikas Bahl (Queen and Super 30), Shaitaan is an official remake of the 2023 Gujarati horror film Vash. The movie also stars Janki Bodiwala and Anngad Raaj in pivotal roles.
Advance booking status and expectations
Advance bookings opened in limited locations, with more shows being added to online ticket-booking platforms. With approximately 16,006 tickets sold on Day 1 across the country, it amounts to a collection of Rs. 39.84 lakh (gross), per Sacnilk. The movie's success will largely hinge on word of mouth, as it is an experimental project and not a typical Devgn film. A final tally of around Rs. 3-3.5cr would be considered a solid opening day performance for this horror thriller.
Here's how netizens reacted to 'Shaitaan's trailer
As soon as the trailer was unveiled, netizens expressed their excitement on social media. One X/Twitter user stated, "Shaitaan trailer isn't just a trailer, it's a proper phenomenal goosebumps trailer. 200cr loading." Another user praised Madhavan's performance, mentioning, "Intense, gripping, thrilling, absolutely great trailer. Madhavan is dangerous. Devgn's eyes and that girl (sic)." The two-and-a-half-minute trailer explores a stranger invading Devgn's house, forcing his family to confront their worst fears.
Meanwhile, 2 Madhavan movies are on IMDb's top-rated list
As the release of Shaitaan is fast approaching, IMDb India shared a delightful anecdote about Madhavan on Monday. It dropped a video on X, featuring the actor's illustrious journey from his first leading role in the Tamil romantic drama Alai Payuthey (2000) to his current projects. The caption highlighted Madhavan's impressive feat of having two movies, namely Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022) and Anbe Sivam (2003) in the IMDb Top 10 Highest Rated Indian Movies list.
