★ Ek Tha Record ! Will Ek Tha Tiger be Salman Khan and the Hindi film industry’s biggest hit to date?
(August 11, 2012)
On August 15, the nation will hold it’s collective as Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger releases. Will this be the biggest Hindi film of all time?
Blockbuster’, ‘super-hit’ and ‘100-crore club’ are tags that are virtually synonymous with Salman Khan. But is the superstar about to deliver the biggest hitof all time? Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger, his firstwith Yash Raj Films, will be releasing onAugust 15 and expectations from the filmare mind-boggling, just as the numbers tradewallahs expect the movie to rack up.
And that’s only natural. For the past three years during Eid, Khan has gifted his audience out-and-out masala entertainers while consistently raising the barin the record books. The icing on the cake, this time, is that Ek Tha Tiger also features Katrina Kaif, who has provedher mettle. The pair was last seen in Subhash Ghai’s Yuvvraaj (2008), and although that film did not create anymagic, Ek Tha Tiger will see both actors in the prime of their careers.
Further fueling expectations is the director’s name tagged to this film – Kabir Khan, who delivered Kabul Express and New York both successful film for Yash Raj Films.Let’s take a look at some of Khan’s past releases, whose business has been breathtaking. Wanted did a lifetime business of Rs 63 crore, Dabangg Rs 139crore, Ready Rs 120 crore while his latest film Bodyguard leapt to Rs 149 crore.Also, Khan has had three big Eid hits in the last three years – Wanted,Dabangg and Bodyguard, a hat-trick of blockbusters for the actor. Now, with a six-day weekend starting August 15, will Ek Tha Tiger be Salman Khan and the Hindi film industry’s biggest hit to date?
Thomas D’Souza Dy. GM-Programming, Cinemax India ltd
This film will create history. SalmanKhan has always delivered a blockbuster performance. First-daycollections willbe around Rs 28 crore, with weekend collections crossing Rs 60 crore. Its lifetime business will be at leastRs 150 crore. This film will be huge.
Thomas D’Souza Dy. GM-Programming, Cinemax India ltd
This film will create history. SalmanKhan has always delivered a blockbuster performance. First-daycollections willbe around Rs 28 crore, with weekend collections crossing Rs 60 crore. Its lifetime business will be at leastRs 150 crore. This film will be huge.
Ashish Saksena COO , Big Cinemas 
Ek Tha Tiger is set to break all therecords. On its first day, it will do business of about Rs 23 crore, and by the weekend,it will easily cross Rs 100 crore (six days). Since the film will release on a Wednesday, it will enjoy anine-day week by next Friday and so it will have ample time to generate business of around Rs 150 crore. As far as its lifetime business is concerned, I am assuming it will earn up to Rs 190-200 crore.
Bhumika Tewari VP, Cinema Programming,FUN Multiplex
Given Salman Khan’s track record,expectationsfrom this film arevery high andthe film will nodoubt receive a phenomenal response fromthe audience. Asfar as collectionsare concerned, we expect the first dayto rake in about Rs 20 crore or Rs 25crore, crossing Rs 60 crore over the longweekend. As far as lifetime collections go, it should cross Rs 200 crore.
Rahul Singh Senior VP-Op erations,PVR cinemas 
Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger isthe most-awaited film of the year.There is a lot of excitement among viewers,and Katrina Kaif is adding to the buzz. The promos are good; there is a lot of confidence about the film. Its collections will break all the records that Khan’s previous films created. It will definitely cross the Rs 100crore mark.
Subhasis Ganguli Regional Direct or (East), Inox Leisure Ltd
We are very positive that EkTha Tiger will dowell. Like Khan’slast coupleof films, thisone too will besuccessful andshould emergea clear winner. I cannot comment on the collections.
Pushkaraj Chaphalkar Partner, City Pride Multiplexes 
The level of anticipation surroundingthis film’srelease is very high. There havealready been a lot of inquiries about it at our multiplex. It’s a good action-thriller combination and first-day collections will surely cross Rs 11 crore. If the subject interests the audience, its first week will definitely notbe less than Rs 70 crore. The all-India lifetime collection will be more than Rs100 crore.
Rajesh Singh Programming Head, Glitz Cinemas
Ek Tha Tiger will be the biggest openerand the highestgrosser of alltime. The buzz around the film isspectacular. I can safely say that itslifetime businesswill cross Rs 150crore. This filmwill be big in every aspect.
Hemant Panchamia Managing Director,E-Square Leisure Pvt Ltd 
This film has all the components of athorough entertainer.Its distributionstrategyhas been hugeand it is hittinga large numberof screens at thesame time. Thefirst day collectionwill most likely be at least one anda half times more than what Salman’sprevious films have made. This film willdefinitely reach the Rs 100 crore mark,possibly in its first 10 days.
Akash Jalan Director, Eylex Fun N Films
Ek Tha Tiger is one of the most eagerlyawaited filmsof the year.Since January,everyone’s eyeshave been onthis release. Onits first day, Ithink it will grossapproximately Rs25 crore. On its first weekend, which is avery long weekend, it will easily cross Rs120 crore. As for lifetime collections, itwill break Dabangg’s record for sure.
Clyde Monteiro GM – Entertainment Division, Broadway 
Ek Tha Tiger will be another super-hitthis year. Thereare already plentyof inquiriesabout the movie.And it’s releasingahead of a sixdayweekend, so collections will definitely be very high. On its first day, it will gross more than Rs 15 crore, and by its first weekend it should reach Rs 75 crore. The film will definitely cross Rs 100 crore, but it’s hard to say whether that will happenin its first week. It will break Dabangg’s record but I doubt it will break the 3Idiots mark.
Anant Verma Director & Business Head, DT Cinemas
Ek Tha Tiger is set to be the highest grosser of 2012 as it is releasing on a six-day weekend. This will help it get to the Rs 100-croremark on either its first weekend or first week. Helping its cause is the fact that it isreleasing in a phenomenal number of screens.
Sunil Gholap Manager – Marketing & Programming, MovieTime Cineplex 
Ek Tha Tiger will have 100 per centcollections fromits very firstday. Also, after Rowdy Rathore there has beenno big releasesince a longtime. It’s hardto estimate theexact collections but approximately Ithink, on its first day it will reach up toRs 25 crore while on its first weekend itmay touch Rs 75 crore. But surely thisfilm will add up to Salman Khan’s 100crore club of films.
Yogesh NilgundeProgramming Head, Maxus Multiplex 
Ek Tha Tiger will receive a 100 percent opening onits first day as it’sa Salman Khanmovie and also this is his firststint with YRF.On its first day,the business of the film willreach Rs 30 crore since the film will notonly enjoy a large number of shows butalso some cinemas have planned to hike ticket rates. And by its first weekend, the film will easily reach Rs 100 crore as it’sa very long weekend. The movie might even break Khan’s previous records, interms of the lifetime business.
Rakesh Patel Director, Wide Angle Multiplex
Ek Tha Tiger will enjoy a long weekend of four to five days. In our multiplex, weare going to have 23 shows every dayin five screens. We will have a family entertainer after a long time, sothe audience will respond. Thefilm’s first-day collections will be nothing less than Rs 20-30 crore.But I think pan-India; business shouldbe over Rs 60 crore. As far as the film’slifetime collection is concerned, it will definitely cross Rs 100 crore plus.
Harshad Narsinhbhai Makwana Operation Manager, City Gold Cinema
There are alot of enquiriesabout the filmand we too havehigh hopes fromthis film. Its firstdaycollectionin our multiplex will be Rs 7-8 lakh andits first weekend Rs 20 lakh. We expectEk tha Tiger’s collections to cross theRs 100-crore benchmark as SalmanKhan has proved himself with films likeDabangg, Ready and Bodyguard.
Ashish Gogia Senior Manager, Suncity Cinemas 
Ever sinceYash Raj signedSalman Khan forEk Tha Tiger, thefilm has createdwaves. It will bethe first time wewill be seeingSalman Khan ina Yash Raj film. Both of them have theirown kind of audience – Salman Khanhas his own fan following and familieslove watching YRF films. So expectationsare very high. I think the film’sfirst-day collections will be Rs 15-20crore. On its first weekend, which is sixdays long, business should easily crossRs 100 crore. During its first week (tillanother film releases on Friday), themovie will earn up to Rs 130 crore.
Manish Talwar Director, IP Cinema
Ek Tha Tiger will definitely cross Rs 100crore on its firstweekend as it’s asix-day weekend. Also, it’s been along time sinceSalman Khan andKatrina Kaif wereseen together. EkTha Tiger is anaction film but it’s different from Khan’sprevious films. That’s why the audienceis very excited. On its first day, the movie will break many records and will cross Rs25 crore as it is releasing in more screens.It’s hard to say whether it will break the 3Idiots record for lifetime collections. But it will definitely break Khan’s own records.
Manish Tiwari Manager-Operations,Bioscope Multiplex
There are a lot of inquires about thefilm. We are goingto have 15 to16 shows for EkTha Tiger everyday, startingfrom 6.30 am.We are highlydependent onthis film for ourmonthly collections. The shows, fromAugust 15 to 20, will be packed forsure. I am also dead sure this film willclock a lifetime collection of more thanRs 100 crore.
