Almost 65% of Veere Di Wedding ’s audience on the the film’s opening day were women. Traditionally, opening day box office figures of any Bollywood release are strongly driven by men. But the raunchy girl gang comedy changed that trend. Then there’s also the fact that the film has now become a very happy addition to the growing list (albeit a slow one) of women-led Hindi films that open beyond ₹5 crore net. Exceptions like Mary Kom (₹8.32 crore net), Tanu Weds Manu Returns (₹8.61 crore net) and most recently Alia Bhatt’s Raazi (₹7.33 crore net) have managed to break the mould.
Even then, Bollywood films without an A-list male actor almost never open to two-figure numbers. Veere , though, surpassed expectations with ₹10.75 crore net. “Fridays are predominantly male audiences for any movie,” says Shailesh Kapoor of Ormax Media, a firm specialising in trade insights. He adds that the gender-skewed pattern continues for the next two to three days after release. Even films such as Pink and Mom got 50-50% footfalls from both men and women. “ Veere Di Wedding will almost certainly be the first-ever film in Hindi film history to have more first-day footfalls from women than men,” says Kapoor.
Veere ’s opening revenue is significant not just for its high numbers. There’s the fact that the film released bang in the middle of Ramzan (which usually experiences a dip in theatre visits). Plus, it comes with an adult certification and the conspicuous absence of A-list male co-stars. “Whichever films have been made in the edgy space have been dominated by men and over time, they became single screen sex comedies like the Kya Kool Hain Hum and Grand Masti franchises,” says Kapoor. Veere , while being compared to Delhi Belly or Dil Chahta Hai , has so far made ₹69.31 crore net.
Made on a reported budget of approximately ₹45 crore net, the film was released in 2,177 screens across the country, an usually high number for a film of its kind. Its current collections nothwithstanding, the film certainly made plenty of moolah with its obvious brand endorsements. Plus there’s a lucrative satellite and digital rights deal in order. “Normally a film without a male star releases to 1,500 to 1,800 screens,” says Kapoor. Even Raazi released to only 1,800 screens.
Predictably, Veere has been performing well in urban multiplexes with northern Indian territories receiving the highest footfalls. With Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom releasing last week, the Hindi comedy has lost some of its edge. Both films cater to the same segment of the audience. “What will be remembered though, is its opening and that’s remarkable,” says Kapoor. Veere Di Wedding will end its theatrical shelf life this weekend. After all, Salman Khan’s blockbuster Race 3 is expected to decimate all competition.
