 "Bareilly Ki Barfi box office collection: Film has average start, suffers due to Toilet: Ek Prem Katha")
This week saw the dominance of films based in small-towns, when it comes to the Indian box office. Bareilly Ki Barfi, starring Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana and Rajkummar Rao, released on 18 August. It is about a girl called Bitti, whose parents are trying to get her married off, and also includes a love triangle. This Friday also witnessed the power of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha in its second week; this film was about the issue of open defecation and the lack of proper sanitation facilities in India.
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s Bareilly Ki Barfi received average reviews from most critics. It has earned Rs 2.4 crore thus far as reported by film trade analyst Taran Adarsh, with 20 per cent occupancy in the morning shows and 70 to 80 per cent occupancy in the later shows.
#BareillyKiBarfi Fri ₹ 2.42 cr. India biz... Fared better in North India.
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 19, 2017
As estimated, Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar’s Toilet: Ek Prem Katha has crossed the Rs 100 crore-mark, making it the seventh highest grossing Bollywood film of 2017.
#ToiletEkPremKatha crosses ₹ 100 cr on Day 8... [Week 2] Fri 4 cr. Total: ₹ 100.05 cr. India biz. #TEPK
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 19, 2017
When it comes to the Bollywood actors with the most films to make it into the Rs 100 crore-club, Akshay Kumar stands second after Salman Khan. It is his fifth film to make more than Rs 100 crores in the last 20 months.
#ToiletEkPremKatha is Akshay Kumar's 8th ₹ 100 cr grosser... The 2nd highest, after Salman Khan [11 ₹ 100 cr grossers]. India biz. #TEPK
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 19, 2017
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha has managed to rake in these numbers despite being criticised by reviewers for focusing too much on PM Narendra Modi and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, rather than the issue of open defecation. The film did, however, earn the praise of authorities such as the Uttar Pradesh government, who declared Akshay Kumar the brand ambassador of the state’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and the United Nations, who recognised the film for its message.
It is quite likely that Bareilly Ki Barfi’s collections have taken a hit because of the overpowering presence of Toilet Ek Prem Katha, which is unlikely to leave theatres for a few more days.
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