PK has opened as per expectations. The much hyped film was supposed to register some good footfalls and as the weekend came to a close, this is what exactly happened. Yes, one expected a minimum of 30 crore on day one, considering the release size as well as an increase in ticket prices. This didn’t really happen, as the Friday collections read around 27 crore. However, this was compensated for on Saturday and Sunday as the film grew in strength, hence resulting in a weekend of 95 crore.
Now these are encouraging numbers indeed, especially if one considers the draught that has been experienced at the box office since the release of Happy New Year. A start like this puts the Rajkumar Hirani directed affair at a solid position, especially considering the fact that there is no major release till 9th January (when Tevar arrives). Till then, it has three open weeks for itself and with such a wide field available, Aamir Khan can indeed hope for good collections.
Having said that, one fact that cannot be denied is that the word of mouth isn’t as exceptional as it was for 3 Idiots. Now that would have ensured an excellent total, considering the dynamics (release size, ticket price, open weeks). Still, overall, the word of mouth is good, which is good enough for PK to register a healthy number at the end of the day.
The real story will start unfolding from the second week on, when they will have to rely on on the current bookings and actual word of mouth instead of advance booking and critical acclaim. That would set the tone for how far does the film go on from here.