'Chandu Champion' Expected To Open Below $2 Million

Indian star Kartik Aaryan in a still from Kabir Khan's Hindi film 'Chandu Champion'.

Indian star Kartik Aaryan returns to theatres with Kabir Khan’s new sports drama, the Hindi film Chandu Champion. While producers Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Kabir Khan Films are all excited about it, industry trade experts are not too hopeful of the film’s opening. Some of them expect Chandu Champion to earn below $1 million. A few others, more hopeful, pin the opening figure around $1.5 million.

Film trade experts believe Chandu Champion may not be a huge opener. Nonetheless, given the track records of both the lead star and the director, all hopes are pinned on the film’s quality and the subsequent word-of-mouth.

Film exhibitor and trade analyst Vishek Chauhan expects the film to make $800,000- $850,000 opening on Friday, June 14. “Chandu Champion looks like an urban, niche-appeal kind of film. It may find good patronage in metros and the bigger cities. The film is relying fully on word-of-mouth. I do not see much hype in audience right now, we have not had many queries about it at our cinemas. The only saving grace will be that it turns out to be a fantastic and mind-blowing film. That can make the word-of-mouth so electric that it saves the film from going completely downhill.”

Producer and film business expert Girish Johar expects the film to make a decent $850,000 to $900,000 in India on the first day at the ticket windows. He also lists down the factors that may help Chandu Champion gain at the box office. “The elections as well as IPL matches are over. There has been a dry run of big releases and Chandu Champion’s trailer has got a good release. Kabir Khan and Kartik Aaryan’s talent also help maintain good expectations. I hope it takes a good start.”

Trade expert Akshaye Rathi projects a better score for the film’s opening. Putting his hopes at an opening of $1.4 million, he says that the combination of different sensibilities is likely to play a role. “Kabir Khan is a very nuanced filmmaker who tells stories in realistic manner. He comes together with out and out entertainer producer Sajid Nadiadwala. And then, Kartik Aaryan is an out and out mainstream star. We are all hoping it will be a magic at the box office.”

The Hindi film industry has not seen huge hits this year, except for Hrithik Roshan’s Fighter. A few smaller films did well at the box office but none of them made money that could push the exhibition industry to profits.

Will Chandu Champion prove to be the much-needed boost that Bollywood needs right now? While they hope it picks with time, trade experts do not see Chandu Champion making huge collections right away. Chauhan says, “I hope it picks up soon. All of us hope the word-of-mouth helps it build at the box office. But even then, day one (collections) won’t be eradicating the dull period for Bollywood.” Johar and Rathi also express hopes for the film to pick up speed at the box office with time and help the exhibition industry in the Hindi belt in India.

The advance booking announcement for Chandu Champion was projected on the Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. The film managed an advance booking of $150,000 before the film hit theatres on June 14, Friday.

COO-Cinemas at BookMyShow (an Indian ticketing platform) Ashish Saksena talks about the advance bookings. Placing faith in the film, he tells us, "Chandu Champion is off to a good start receiving extremely positive reviews from cinephiles and critics alike. Audiences from Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Lucknow, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Jabalpur and Kartik's hometown, Gwalior are flocking to theatres for the latest release this weekend to catch the inspiring biopic spotlighting the life of India's first paralympic gold medalist, Muralikant Petkar. Bookings for the film are expected to grow over the weekend on the back of its strong word-of-mouth."

Kartik Aaryan is getting one of his biggest releases with Chandu Champion. The film has released across nearly 3200 screens in India and 1300 screens outside of India, covering more than 70 countries.

Aaryan plays the lead role of India’s Murlikant Petkar in the film. Petkar bagged a gold medal at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Germany, he won a gold medal in 50 meter freestyle swimming.