The Hollywood movie Godzilla vs Kong, which hit the screens on Wednesday (March 24), has opened to a thunderous response at the box office despite the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Warner Bros, the biggie collected Rs 6.4 crore (net) in India on day 1 and exceeded expectations.
Director Adam Wingard’s magnum opus has opened better than the Hindi flicks that released in theatres after the lockdown. Roohi, the first major Bollywood premiere under the ‘new normal’, raked in merely Rs 3 crore on the first day. Mumbai Saga opened at Rs 2.82 crore despite being a multi-starrer. Godzilla vs Kong has fared well in the Hindi belt as well as in the five South Indian states, indicating that it is a pan-India phenomenon. The dubbed versions have clicked with the respective audiences
The phenomenal response to Godzilla vs Kong can be attributed to the cult status of the titular characters. The monster movie has connected with the ‘Gen Y’ audience as it has stellar visual effects and action scenes.
The film has received largely positive reviews with most critics praising the production values and effective storytelling. The word of mouth is positive and this should help Godzilla vs Kong stay strong in the coming days. It is set to have a free run in the Hindi market as this week’s Bollywood release Saina is a biographical drama as opposed to a masala entertainer. The trade buzz is that Parineeti Chopra’s film will have a negligible impact at the box office.
It does not really face much competition in the Telugu states as well. Aranya, starring Rana Daggubati, is not a very commercial movie and is likely to cater to a niche audience as opposed to a wider one.
Godzilla vs Kong could, however, face competition from Mammootty’s movie One, in Kerala, as it is a mass drama with political undertones and releasing when elections are around the corner. It may, either way, end up collecting around Rs 35 crore in the (extended) opening weekend.
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