Here’s a comparison between the biggest blockbuster of 2012 – Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger – and a film that is likely to be the biggest blockbuster of 2013 so far – Shahrukh Khan’s Chennai Express.
Update: In 5 days, Chennai Express has collected 124.55 crore (including paid previews). In the same number of days, Ek Tha Tiger crossed the 100 crore mark collecting Rs 100.15. CE is still leading the race by around 24.3 crores.
Update 21st August: Chennai Express now needs less than Rs 7 crores to go past the second biggest grosser of all time – Ek Tha Tiger.
| Day | Chennai Express | Ek Tha Tiger |
|---|---|---|
| Preview | 6.75 crores | -- |
| Day 1 | 33.12 crores (Eid Holiday) | 32.92 crores (Holiday) |
| Day 2 | 28.06 crores | 14.52 crores |
| Day 3 | 32.5 crores (Sunday) | 12.90 crores |
| Day 4 | 12.62 crores | 16.75 crores |
| Day 5 | 11.50 crores | 23.06 crores (Sunday) |
| Day 6 | 12.56 crores | 20.64 crores (Holiday EID) |
| Day 7 | 19.60 crores (Independence Day) | 16.31 crores |
| First Week | 156.71 crores (7 days + paid previews) | 137.15 crores |
| Day 8 | 6.48 crore | 10.45 crores |
| Day 9 | 8.51 crore | 6.61 crores |
| Day 10 | 10.22 crore (Sunday) | 4.53 crores |
| Day 11 | 3.80 crore | 7.00 crores |
| Day 12 | 7.06 crore (Raksha Bandhan) | 9.18 crores (Sunday) |
| Day 13 | 4.51 crore | 2.92 crores |
| Day 14 | 3.25 crore | 2.60 crores |
| Two Week Total | 200.54 crores | 180.44 crores |
| Day 15 | - | 2.39 crores |
| Day 16 | - | 1.97 crores |
| Day 17 | - | 1.25 crores |
| Day 18 | - | 2.11 crores |
| Day 19 | - | 3.15 crores (Sunday) |
| Day 20 | - | 0.88 crore |
| Day 21 | - | 0.86 crore |
| Three Week Total | - | 193.05 crores |
| Day 22 | - | 1.04 crore |
| Day 23 | - | 0.71 crore |
| Day 24 | - | 0.42 crore |
| Total till fourth weekend | - | 195.22 crores |
| Remaining weeks | - | 4.38 crores |
| Lifetime Collections | 200.54 crores (14.5 days) | 199.6 crores |
A few interesting points for box office fanatics out here. Those interested in just the numbers, scroll straight to the table below.
1. The first day collections of both Ek Tha Tiger and Chennai Express are about the same, with the SRK starrer edging ahead by just 0.2 crore. Even though CE had one of the widest releases for a ‘paid preview’ it still managed to beat the record. However, taking all the various factors into considering like hiked ticket prices, higher screen count, pre-Eid release and higher number of footfalls, Ek Tha Tiger is slightly ahead as far as the opening day in concerned.
Chennai Express vs Ek Tha Tiger: Box Office
2. Chennai Express came into its own from Day 2 and collected a record breaking Rs 60.66 crore on Saturday and Sunday. In comparison, Ek Tha Tiger crashed by 55% on its second day and had even lower collections on Day 3 of its release. Again, comparisons are unfair simply because both those days were working days for ETT and also came during the pre-Eid period when the muslim section of the audience prefer not to go out and watch films. For Chennai Express, Saturday was a holiday in most parts of the country and Sunday, quite obviously, was also a holiday.
3. Since the opening days are almost equal, if we compare the Eid holidays of both films i.e Sunday and Monday for Ek Tha Tiger (Rs 43.7 crore), Saturday and Sunday of Chennai Express (Rs 60.66 cr), the business the two films generated is much closer even though CE is comfortably the leader.
In the next few days, it’ll be interesting to see how Chennai Express trends. Can the film beat Ek Tha Tiger, and while doing so, can it beat 3 Idiots? Remember, ETT had no major competition for weeks, but CE has Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara releasing less than a week after its theatrical release. What sort of an impact will that have on CE? Bookmark and stay tuned to this page, it will be updated everyday!
Very interesting points, you guys are truly box office experts. Couldnt even think of comparing holidays of the two films. Doing that way its just a difference of about 16 crores.
One other thing is that Ek Tha Tiger still collected 43 crores on holidays after 3 workings days. Thats simply incredible.
It’s Record Express and Its unstoppeble…
Beware Tiger
Your lifetime record is in danger
lol…only in 3 days chennai express is half way through…
ek tha tiger = gone
3 idiots = gone
kyunki aa gaya hai DON
Straight head to head comparison first 3 days… CE is huge
Ek Tha Tiger — 60.34 cr
Chennai Expres — 100.43
Even if preview is deducted its still 93.7 cr
HUGE HUGE
tiger is already dead on the railway track crushed by CHENNAI EXPRESS
now leave the comparisons cos CE is creating its own Records!
1.1st 100cr weekend
2.1st film to have two 30cr above collection
3.1st 50cr weekend in overseas
n lot more to come
1st week might touch 150 cr. Though OUATIMD will effect in 15th Aug real test start from friday lets see it can break 3 idiots record or not
But I doubt that all these records might not last long. Dhoom 3 might crush all of them.
Ett was a crappiest movie i ever seen. .where as ce is totally entertaining.
it would definitely cross the ek tha tiger and 3 idiot collection but due to major film release in every week ouatim dobara, madras cafe and Satyagraha,it might fail
but I am still hoping that it will pass the ett and 3 idiot lifetime
so..all the best
Ek Tha Tiger is slightly ahead as far as the opening day in concerned? How? 33 to 32 se zada hota hai :D
@iDownager, read the article again. Taking all the factors into considering since both films have collected about the same, and the footfalls were higher for ETT.. its probably a slightly bigger achievement.
Records Express will break each n every single records
Chennai express will break ek tha tiger’s overall worldwide collection……..Just wait and see…….if ouatimd would not release,it could even break 3idiots collection……..
@indicine
u forgot a very important factor- pp of ce. put that into consideration as well.
this is the first n last srk movie to have made some records.. rohit shetty, deepika padukone n eid came to rescue srk this time.. he got too lucky.. srk is not salman who carries the film single handedly on his shoulders n turn average movies into blockbusters n all time blockbusters.. salman khan bas naam hi kaafi hai! let salman come next year first he will make all srk fans “MENTAL” n then he will “KICK” u all out of the universe :D .. till then have a good time! :p
Great article. Nice job done by indicine. Pplz now comfortably understand the comparison of both film. And you guys mind it that ETT had no major competition for weeks, but CE has Once UATIMD but its not a fact for king khan.
Shahrukh is the king!! Okke??
Congo to SRK……
SRK fans 5 saal baad SRK koi BB de raha hai to tum bahot khush ho….lekin Salman Bhai Ki Last 5 Films BB hai(which is record)…..
Ye mat bhulo EID Release Salman Bhai ne shuru ki hai…..aur unki wajahse hi aaj SRK apni film EID pe realese kar saka hai……agar salman Bhai is sall bhi EID par aate to defenately isse bade record ho jate…..Bhai ne SRK ka career bacha liya hai…….
Aur EtT ka Tue sday collection dekho despite being Non holiday for bhi collection 16 cr hai…..jo SRK kabhi nahi paa sakta…..
Jaha tak baat hai CE k records ki to D3 chakana chur kar degi…….
Aur Next year Salman bhai ki Eid releas hai hi..jab wo sare record ko KICK karenge….
Aur CE koi khas movie nahi hai……to Y Idiots ka record to bhool hi jao……
@indicine….u have counted a lot of factors to show, ce is slightly below than ett…..
but don’t u think that even with paid previews, it managed to cllect 33 cr on first day??? where a lot of experts including u, were saying that paid preview may affect the first day collection….so u have missed the very first point , which is completely in the favor of ce and which has to be counted….
second thing, ett has no any competition…..even i wud say that it could not cross even 150 cr, when it had to compete with a biggi like ouatim……it run almost 3 open weeks comfortably managed to collect 190 cr…..give those open weeks to ce and see, even 225 cr is possible as of now…..
so don’t count only those factors, who r against ce…plz pay ur attention towards these factors too….
“CE” can’t beat “ETT” lifetime collections record.
F off it’s already done..
u forgetting paid previews boi clearly stated it could cross 35cr coz bunch of audience already hv seen in pp
@indicine. thank u very much indicine. u kept Ur word. really impressed
Again comparison.”CE” v/s “ETT” v/s “3 IDIOTS”.Who will break whose records ? Salman v/s Aamir v/s Srk.This comparison culture is going on from more than 20 years now.Heroines come and go where nobody knows but these 3 old mens remain there in the top of every list.Ok continue compairing.i support Salman and Aamir as always above Srk.
@indicine team: ur taking various factors’in to consideration like ticket hike, screen count, pre release eid but why don’t u consider preview show which cost ce 4 crs atleast? Let clarify each factors
1. Ticket hike : even ett too increased ticket rate if u remember means hardly 5% difference
2. Screen count : 200 screens more, how much a big film can collect with 200 screens? 1 or 2 crs max, isnt it?
3. Pre release eid : independance day is bigger than eid holiday. as u rembember bodyguard eid release : 21 crs, ett independance day : 33. Now see the difference between eid release and indpendance day release!
Ett is an action film. Suppose ready (comedy film) released in place of ett then it wont collect more than 25 crs. Action massala movie atrract more crowds compare to comedy masala’film. Ce which is a comedy masala’film opened huge that tells the star power of srk
If ce released without preview show then it would have easily collected min 37 crs.
Now compare 1st day of both ett and ce without preview show
Ett with 3300 screens : 32.92 crs
After 1 year
Ce with 3500 screens : 37 crs
Now tell me, can ett collect 4 crs with 200 screens and 5 % ticket hike?
Ra one collected 25 crs on second day. If it had been released after diwali pooja day then ra one would have been the 1st film to collect 30 crs in a single day
@Soroop, good comment, a few valid points.
Firstly, don’t agree with what you said about preview shows. Saying that the paid previews affected first day collections, is like saying Friday release affects Sunday business. Doesn’t happen. Very few people watched the film on Thursday, not many were even aware of its release.
About ticket rates there is a lot of confusion around. Every big release there is news that ticket prices are hiked. But the fact is, exhibitors increase ticket prices during the festive season and then drop it back to normal rates during off-peak-season. Ticket prices are indeed higher than Eid last year, but its certainly nowhere near the 35-40% that is being quoted in the media and other trade channels. Marginal hike.
About your third point, there was a huge difference in the number of screens that Bodyguard released on and Ek Tha Tiger. Massive difference. 2250 vs 3300.
There is a universal truth…Salman’s fans are not actual fans of salman. They are all SRK’s haters. They dont love salman. But SRK’s fans really love Srk.
@soroop u r saying as if Srk has done comedy 1st time in his entire career and bcoz of this “CE” broke records.So then what was Duplicate,Yes boss,One two ka Four etc ? horror movies ? Was u shaking in fear after watching these movies ? lol. The book u have written above has many if’s and but’s which confused ur mind.so just remove them.
@indicine
I am not interested in screen size,it doesn’t matter for any film with good containts will scores big.
But main point to be consider is Ticket Price..!
As every body knows the tickets are 15% high for CE as compared to ETT.
If we take same occupy with any number of screens if you adjust the collections of ETT with this Eid’s ticket rates then you will get 32.92 +15% of it which easily = 36 crs.
That means if ETT released this year with same number of screens like it did last year then it easily collected 36 crs with the same occupy.
That means with 400 more screens if CE got same response like ETT it might collect 40 crs on Day 1.
Again according to BOI CE falls few crs short to ETT but it doesn’t matter due to difference is just of 50 lacks in any case.
But i want to rememberise you your pre CE release artilcle where you analysed the increament in business of Cinema after each Eid.
2009 : Wanted – 9crs
2010 : Dabangg -14crs
2011 : Bodygaurd -21crs
2012 : Ek Tha Tiger -32.92crs
2013 :-Chennai Ex -33.12crs
After each year opening gets raised from 5 crs to 11 crs,no doubt that screens & ticket price also gets increased.
But this is the only Eid where increment is of just 0.3crs…!
CE created week end record due to back to back holiday which ETT got in its post week end period after 5 days of its release & it never came on single digit for 8 day in line which may be not going to happen in case of CE.
So i don’t think CE worked well atleast on its opening day.
With that screens & same ticket price K3 & D3 will easily cross 40 crs mark & also Mental if it gets holiday release.
@Rohit, number of screens do make a difference. The multiplex industry has witnessed explosive growth over the last year or so. Several new screens across the country have come up, which obviously means increase in overall business.
About ticket prices, read our last comment to Soroop.
As for the last part of your comment, yes, lets wait for the release of Krrish 3 and Dhoom 3. If both films get their release date right, 40 crore opening day is very much a possibility. Could be more!
@sachin11
List of superstars
Best actor in bwood-ajay dewgan 2 times national award(khans didnt get).
Best action hero-akshay kumar
best dancer-hrithik roshan
krish3 make 40 crore opening,to destroy all records make by khans.
@pls check the collection of yjhd,with out holiday it collect 180 crore.if its a holiday festivel relise it easly collect 230 crore,dream for 3 khans.akshay,ranbir,ajay,hrithik have capacity to open their filims like khans,if you have any doubt pls wait for krish3 or thupakki remake.
after so many year ce is going to break the record of ready.lets see how far ce can go.i thing 150 crore is maximum for ce.outd is coming friday.
ETT released with lesser screens as compared to CE but most important factor is that ETT released during ramadan when muslim section of audience do not watch movies or else the collections could have easily been atleast 40 crores or more even with lesser screens than CE plus the ticket hike for CE……….. thus salman khan’s ETT opening is bigger than srk’s CE as rightly pointed out by indicine……………………
Dabangg 2 lifetime collections in overseas destroyed in weekend by Baadshah’s Chennai Express…..