Horror is having a moment on global screens and while indie gems Obsession and Backrooms continue to dominate footfalls and conversations in India aas well, the first four days since last Friday — when a couple of new Hindi films hit theatres has thrown up a new winner. Haunted 3D, starring Mithun Chakraborty’s son Mimoh and Chetana Pande, and a part of the Haunted film franchise which has been mired in everything from controversy to money troubles to even director Vikram Bhatt spending a few months in jail for fraud during its making, has raked in the maximum amount of revenue, ahead of Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Naseeruddin Shah, Vedang Raina and Sharvari; Manoj Bajpayee’s true-life story Governor and Kangana Ranaut’s 26/11 saga Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata.
Since its release, Haunted 3D has shown an upward trend in numbers. The film made a strong start at the box office, earning an estimated ₹2.50-crore nett, or around ₹3-crore gross, on its opening day, according to trade website Sacnilk. In four days, the film’s nett (gross minus taxes) collection rose to ₹11.55-crore in India.
Main Vaapas Aaunga has grossed approximately ₹8.10 crore at the India box office. The film’s India nett collection stands at roughly ₹6.75- crore after the weekend.
Main Vaapas Aaunga
The Manoj Bajpayee political and financial thriller Governor: The Silent Saviour collected approximately ₹3.10 to 3.45-crore nett (around ₹4.14-crore gross) at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. Kangana Ranaut’s film has collected approximately ₹4.80 crore at the Indian box office after its first four days in theatres. Released amid a crowded multi-film clash, the drama opened to a slow start and is facing a challenging run at the domestic box office.
The response to Haunted 3D prompted director Vikram Bhatt to pen a long, emotional message to audiences and to those who stood by him in trying times.
“Two and a half years ago, Haunted: Echoes of the Past began as just another film. Born of the success of 1920: Horrors of the Heart, and like every new film, it was built on hope, excitement, and the belief that the road ahead would be easier.
Manoj Bajpayee in Governor
Ten days into the shoot, money ran out.
Most films would have died here. Not this one.
We borrowed money on interest, negotiated with vendors, and somehow kept the cameras rolling. Every day felt like a balancing act – keeping the film alive and keeping the wolves from the door. Just when things seemed to stabilize, production challenges arrived. Then post-production challenges. Then VFX challenges. Every problem that could have appeared seemed determined to find its way to us.
Kangana Ranaut in Bharat Bhagya Viddhaata
And then life delivered its hardest blow.
My wife and I were arrested on allegations that I maintain were false. I spent 75 days in prison while Haunted sat unfinished. The film waited while interest accumulated on borrowed money. At one point, sitting in prison, I made a phone call and suggested that the film be released without me. The answer that came back from Mr. Anand Pandit has stayed with me ever since.
“No Vikram Bhatt, no film release.”
When I returned to Mumbai, I discovered that the post-production had stalled. Together with people who refused to abandon the project, we worked eighteen and twenty-hour days, doing whatever was necessary to bring the film to completion.
Just when the finish line appeared a legal challenge threatened to stop the release of the film. Two days before release, nobody knew whether Haunted would actually make it into theatres. Distributors were nervous. Exhibitors were nervous. Years of effort seemed to hang in the balance.
Then the film was cleared.
Even then, due to the uncertainty surrounding the court order, the showcasing remained limited. The release entered theatres wounded. By every conventional yardstick, it should have struggled.
Instead, something extraordinary happened. The audience arrived. In the end, all I wanted was for the world to meet Haunted. And when it finally did, That was enough. That was everything.
