Diwali this year will see the release of two films, Thamma and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat. Neither of the two carries the big tentpole aura, which is generally associated with a major festive date like Diwali. On their own, the two films may not stand out, but each has a factor that gives it a lift. For Thamma, it is the IP branding that gives it wider visibility, while for Deewaniyat, it’s the music.
Thamma is the fifth film in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe, the last two releases of which were major successes last year, including record grosser Stree 2. Given the success of the universe and the historic track record of comedies on Diwali, there were naturally high expectations for the film. However, those expectations don’t appear to be meeting reality, at least as far as the advances are concerned.
As of writing, Thamma has sold nearly 60K tickets at PVRINOX and Cinepolis (PIC) for the first day. By the end of the day, it should reach around 80K. The situation outside these chains is even slower. Still, that’s not necessarily alarming, as advances could be slow during the pre-Diwali period, and what really matters is what happens on the day of release in current sales. The day after Diwali has seen films with negligible advances put up much better numbers on the day.
Even from these advances, Thamma could easily put up Rs. 20 crore plus day, possibly way more. The film has a big capacity built for it to collect. If the film manages to get audience reception on its side, it can have a run for itself.
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat is a love story with hit music but devoid of any face value or big production. Normally, it would have been dismissed as a “B-movie,” but something happened earlier this year that has turned it into a potential dark horse. That something was a blockbuster response to the re-release of a forgotten flop from nearly a decade ago, Sanam Teri Kasam, starring the lead of Deewaniyat. Soon after, another love story with no expectations or face value, Saiyaara, stunned everyone with its blockbuster global run.
Deewaniyat is catering to the same audiences as those two films and has hit music to go with. That has given Deewaniyat expectations, and the advance seems to reflect that optimism. As of writing, the film has sold nearly 25K tickets at PIC and will likely close around 35K. The film is getting better traction in smaller centres, just like Sanam Teri Kasam, with several centres having sales similar to Thamma, some even better.
Unfortunately for the film, it doesn’t have the showcasing that it would have required in the single screens. It has around 30% showcasing of Thamma in plexes, which is fine, but it is pretty much wiped out of single screens in most of the centres, and these could have collected for the film. In hindsight, the film probably could have done better with a solo non-holiday release, as missing those singles isn’t worth the Diwali boost it will get.
While Deewaniyat seems to be lifting its weight, Thamma is the bigger film with a higher ceiling. For this Diwali to truly brighten the box office, Thamma must deliver a strong performance. It’s been a quiet year for the industry, with the last major success feeling like a distant memory. The hope will be for Diwali to turn things a bit. For that, the key will be the reception of these two films will get as initial isn’t on the level one would hope for.
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