Can Half Girlfriend survive Bahubali wave?

‘Half Girlfriend’ is the biggest Hindi release after ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhania’, which released more than 3 months ago. But the movie based on Chetan Bhagat’s popular novel with the same title, is caught amidst the biggest film wave the country has seen in the last two decades.

It has swept aside smaller films like ‘Sarkar 3’ and ‘Meri Pyaari Bindu’, but ‘Half Girlfriend’ is a much bigger film.

Adaptations of Chetan Bhagat films have almost always done well at the box office and his last film ‘2 States’ opened very well. Arjun Kapoor returns after ‘Ki and Ka’ which opened above expectations, collecting Rs 7.4 crore on Day 1. Shraddha Kapoor’s last few films haven’t worked, but her films with Mohit Suri – Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain – have done very well.

Half Girlfriend will also benefit from being the last release before Ramzan, so the muslim section of the audience are likely to come out in bigger numbers.

However, the biggest challenge is going to be about tackling ‘Bahubali 2: The Conclusion’. The ‘weekend’ collections of the film are as follows:

  • 1st weekend – 121.75 crore
  • 2nd weekend – 80.75 crore (33.6% drop)
  • 3rd weekend – 42.55 crore (47.3% drop)

Given the excellent trend, it’s safe to assume that ‘Bahubali 2’ is unlikely to drop by more than 60% in its fourth weekend – which means a 17-20 crore weekend in the ‘Half Girlfriend’ week of release, is almost a certainty.

Also, the exhibitors that we spoke to will continue to give enough shows to ‘Bahubali 2’ this weekend onwards at multiplexes – as most shows continue to record very high level of occupancy.

There lies the challenge for ‘Half Girlfriend’. Assuming that the film opens to 9-10 crore on its opening day, it’ll have to grow from there to get to a 35-crore weekend. If the film is good and it finds acceptance, it has very little to worry. But if the film isn’t upto expectations or fails to strike a chord with the audience, then ‘Bahubali 2’ even in its fourth weekend will remain a threat on Sunday – which is when the family audience watch films in theatres.

The music has worked; ‘Baarish’ has become the biggest song of the album and ‘Phir Bhi Tumko Chahunga’ has done well too – but both aren’t at ‘Tum Hi Ho’ and ‘Galliyan’ levels. So while the music definitely adds value, it’ll still be the cast and Chetan Bhagat factor that’ll have to get the audience to theatres on the opening day.

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17 Comments

  • More than Half Girlfriend I am exited for Hindi Medium…

    Expecting Avg response for HG and a 50-85 range collection

    Expecting Good response for Hindi Medium .

  • Tum hi ho was twice as big hit as Galliyan and Baarish is not even 25% as Galliyan so music will change nothing. Everything depends on trailer and stardom.

  • Mohit suri is very good director . and he can make very good films like Murder2
    Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain.
    but the question is ,Will audience watch again Romantic film.
    only 2 songs are good.I think opening will 5 to 8cr.
    Because shraddha has fan following.its a mohit suri film after a long time.
    Best of luck to Halfgriend.

  • The Half GF by Chetan Bhagat is a good book and Mohit Suri is also known for romantic movies so it will be a nice movie..

    But songs are not that catchy as Mohit Suri films delivered to us in his previous movies.. May be the reason is bhatt camp is not there.. Why bhatt movies songs are so melodious all the time? I think they focus only on songs not movies..

  • “Hello”was a crap as well as a flop inspite of featuring Sallu kat also ! Chetan was at his creativity worst there !

  • Songs – 5/10…averge (nt gained mch popularity)
    Trailer- 6/10…good (same like mohit’s other movies)
    Buzz-5/10..averge

    Opening : 8
    Lifetime 60!

  • Chetan Bhagat movies adaptation or inspiration all have been big hits-3idiots, 2 states, Kai Poche(average)

    But one film has been absolute disaster-HELLO

    Reason-Panauti Khan

  • Audience are exhausted now post bahubali 2… it will open single digit…if WOM is good then it will grow.. but I doubt about this happening… lifetime less than 60 cr

  • Only Tubelight has dim chance to bring back Hindi audience to theaters otherwise it is Bahubali 2 all the way. Followed by
    TEPK
    Golmal
    Judwaa
    Tiger
    Cheers.

  • Now post ipl period vl start,,, which vl cause dentless collections 4 baahubali2..
    People vl prefer to watch baahubali2 ..over crap half girl friend…
    Abhi tk to pre ipl period tha mere dost..ab post ipl me baahubali2 ka dhamaal dekhna baki hai

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