Hrithik Roshan’s Mohenjo Daro was touted as one of the biggest films of 2016, but the end result has come as a shocker, as the film could well be the biggest loser of the year when it comes to the amount of money the investors will lose on the Ashutosh Gowarikar film.
The satellite rights were said to be ‘pre-sold’ for 45 crore, but the way the film has performed, the amount could be re-negotiated as there is always a box office performance clause for such big deals.
Mohenjo Daro Business Economics breakdown:
- Total Investment: ?124 crore (cost of production 108 crore + P&A 16 crore)
- Satellite rights: ?45 crore (will be re-negotiated)
- Music and digital rights: ?13 crore
- To be recovered from domestic and overseas: 66 crore
Out of the Rs 66 crore that the film had to recover through theatrical business, Mohenjo Daro’s share from the overseas business will be around 10-11 crore. Domestic (India) share will be under 30 crore. So the film has recovered 41 crore through theatrical business.
UTV Motion Pictures and Ashutosh Gowarikar will lose around 25-30 crore of their investment. When the losses from the satellite rights is factored in, it could even cross the 40 crore mark.
Approximate figures of how much Mohenjo Daro had to collect in India for various verdicts
- Under 60 crore: Disaster
- Under 90 crore: Flop
- Break even 120 crore: Semi Hit
- Above 130 crore: HIT
- Above 180 crore: Super Hit
- Above 250 crore: Blockbuster
When a film hasn’t even collected half of its investment from domestic theatrical business, the verdict cannot be anything other than a ‘disaster’.
Mohenjo Daro Verdict – Disaster
MD deserve disaster result , need below than disaster but such word doesn’t exist . Everybody knows that Jadoo by nothing without papa , calculator , big banner & big actress .
Akki fans are happy on the failure of MohenjoDaro.
Their star career is full of disasters .
I m so happy to see Akki has 50+ disasters.
Only Bollywood star who has 2 blockbusters out of 110 movies.
Wow
I think Hrithik is one actor who has taken some big risks since 2003. When bollywood was happy with actors running around trees, he attempted a performance oriented science fiction film Koi Mil Gaya. That was also the time he was written off as a star. So to attempt something like that at such a time takes real guts. Lakshya was also a risky subject and a film ahead of its time. With Krrish series, he has tried a never before tested Indian superhero genre. Dhoom 2 was a film where he totally redefined a role with negative shades. It was the kind of act that even Aamir could not match in the next installment.
Jodha Akbar again was the kind of movie that could have backfired, and to even think about a historical after the fabulous, uber cool Mr A role required tremendous courage. With Kites, he tried to take Indian cinema to a global audience. Guzaarish was another high risk affair as the audience would have struggled to accept a man like him bound to a wheel chair. Though it flopped, his act touched many hearts.
ZNMD redefined the art of story telling in hindi movies. It was something very unique for the Indian audience. Agneepath was one of the memorable films of Big B and to attempt a take on the same story was again challenging and risky. Bang Bang had a few stunts of international level and the way he carried off the role was very commendable.
The biggest risk was perhaps Mohenjo Daro, being a movie that showcased the times of the oldest civilization in the world. Many people might have derided it, but it was surely not a film that deserved to fold up at 60 cr. The unwarranted negativity totally killed the film.
Hrithik’s career after 2003 has always been about pushing the boundaries and attempting things that no one else had done. Some of his risks paid off handsomely while some went the other way. But he needs to be applauded for carving a distinct path. Tough luck for Mohenjo, but the respect for him has gone up a few notches. The only grouse being that he is doing too few films.
A totally nonsensical article from indicine. from where are they throwing the numbers from?
The cost of production including prints and publicity is Rs 115 crores confirmed officially. Out of this, 60 crores is recovered through satellite and music rights (45+15)
that leaves 55 crores to be recovered from theatrical business.
The film has done 55 crores till the second weekend in India and 25 crores overseas which gives a combined distributor share of around 45 crores mark. The run of the film isnt over yet. The movie has crossed 100 crores worldwide. No film which is a disaster or a big flop does that. The verdict is silly and result of a hurried work and ignorance.
Indicine has given a ” disaster ” verdict to mohenjo daro
So now hrithik doesn’t budge for his next clash, let me give a solid reason to all hrithik fans – when a movie like MD ,which is directed by acclaimed director Ashutosh gowarikar has become a big disaster so how can hrithik’s kaabil stand against a big film like Raees which is directed by Sanjay gupta ??
The clash has to be averted, otherwise, the consequences could be worse than we imagine …
Nowadays, Audience is very smart any big film can flop when the content doesn’t click let alone to two big films clashing against each other !!!!!!!
Now, i am sure that if mohenjo daro has been released on non-holiday than it has been finished its lifetime collection under 40 cr.
Not a big deal ! Every so called superstar faces a disaster in his career !
If salman and akshay can regain their stardoms after dull phases surely hrithik will bounce back!
Every Hindustani should watch Mohanjo Daro but today’s new generation only like PK type movie.
And support only Khan-daan that’s why Bharat become India now.
Hahahahaha after Babhubali and Bajirao Mastani some people thought that now Historical movie accepted by the audience but they forget that now days public want quality.
MD got what it deserved. It was BLACKMAILING in the name of Indian first civilization.
But people are 100 times more smarter than anyone thinks.
and
Now the Hrithikians will come to know which film they were up against.
.
RUSTOM CRUSHED MD Sounds Perfect now.
Quite sad…But i will not say anything..Just waiting for Kaabil..
HR has to do more movies from now..He just wasted 2 years for MD…And the result is disastrous..
Being a fan very sad hrithik 1st disaster
It should be remembered that this is the first ever disaster movie delivered by him. Many other top stars have delivered disasters in their careers too.
Credit goes to him that he has maintained such high standards at box office that a result like this was never expected from a hrithik movie. Since his debut he has maintained those very high standards. So his consistency shall be acknowledged.
I won’t say I am feeling sad for him or sympathize with him or give him any advice at this moment. In my opinion I find such words belittling for big/experienced stars like Hrithik. I would just re-iterate my confidence in his box office prowess and say this is a glitch in an otherwise outstanding career. Setbacks are a part of life. He will learn from his mistakes.
This will make him stronger and he will come back even harder.
Regarding Raees vs Kaabil it never made sense. And now after poor performance of Fan and MD, it makes the least. This clash mess is due to Raees makers but now it is there to be cleaned. Both stars cannot afford a clash now as it will eat up biz of both movies. Waiting for common sense to prevail and announcement of either of the movie moving. Both deserve solo releases on good dates.
Last night I saw this movie. It’s not up to expectations but not bad like which box office figure say. I think film should be cross 100cr if realise during big festival. Film deserve minimum average verdict or maximum semi hit. But not flop or disaster.i think Bad trailer ,poor marketing and negetive atmosphere before film release hugely affected to box office collection of mj.
More than Hrithik , this is gonna affect Ashutsosh.
HR can still get good movies/directors and krish series.But Ashutosh may not get any A list actor or his next venture.He has been disappointing with successive flops.
one more to come on 26th January.And the reason will be rakesh and legendary sanjay gupta.
This Aryan Khan is too dumb.
Looks like he has some chemical locha.
One movie doesn’t affect HR.
He will bounce bank .
@Indicine
Im confused on your updation of total Box office collection and verdict !!!
Could you please tell
What is the Worldwide Box office collection of Mohenjo Daro with seperate Indian and Overseas with nett rate per crores in a table to compare each day growth and loss at your earliest !!!
Its my humble request hope you should consider my request as early as possible !!!
@Shuhaib, it all comes down to the distributor’s share in the end. Out of 60 crore India net collections about half of it goes to the exhibitors (theatre owners), the rest of it, the distributors (UTV) get. We have clearly mentioned the ‘Distributor’s share’ in both India (about 30) and overseas (about 10-11).
Worldwide gross includes exhibitor (theatre) share and also entertainment tax which goes to the government.
Dilwale budget 110 crs
Box office 150 crs
Overseas 26 milion $
Verdict semihit
But if MD had collected 130 it would have been hit?
Indicine do you think we are chutyas?
@Indicine
Thank You So Much !!!
Well deserved
He deserved this after the mass manipulation he did during Diwali 2013…!
But kudos to Maanvar Ritik for atleast clashing with Greedy Gobbar unlike Eid 2013 where our Global Pankha Salesman begged Jeetu uncle to get his daughters home production venture OUATIMD postponed…!
Crap films deserve such verdicts
@Indicine Where is Hrithik fee in it??
Its a shame for any actor to lose to joker boy so time to head back to planet jadoo n try looking for your long lost friend nipoon kunder sorry I meant jadoo…!
Really disappointed from Mjd exceptions are sky high though i hate the only actor in industry thats HR but despite that i was waiting for it..its not a too bad movie but VFX should be up to the marks crocodile and flood scene are looking so fake even cartoons serials have better visuals…Rustom too is not a cult classic they are doing comedy in 2nd half in a intense movie but fact is this is a better product than MJD…if Rustom comes solo it will ended up 90+..but HR ne panga liya and results are up there..Akki transform himself into the Megastar and he should challange anyone on EDX too maza aayega
#AkkiMiniIndustry
#NoOffence but it deserved to be disaster..
#Shivaay har har mahadev
I want kabil vs rees because I want to know whom indicine will support srk or hr …..Its like choosing b/w two lovers , but my gut feeling says that indicine will support srk …lets see ….
@Javed : You are talking as if you have already watched Raees and Kaabil and know the content of both the movies. The content will decide the outcome of clash. Have some sabar and wait !!!!!!!!!!!
Look look – Bhaitards have arrived …!
‘Ashutosh Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro does what many history books could not have done.’
‘He awakens interest in the ancient civilisation of Harapppa and Mohenjo Daro,’ says Asim Siddiqui.
IMAGE: Hrithik Roshan in Mohenjo Daro .
Ashutosh Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro tries too hard to blend prehistory with a popular story to appeal to an intellectual audience interested in serious subjects and the masses brought up on a regular diet of songs, dance, drama and action.
The result is that neither side appears too pleased which does appear a bit unfair simply for the kind of effort that must have gone into the making of this ambitious film.
There certainly are many cliched situations in the film. A rebel raising his voice against injustice and the machinations of power is a formula which has been repeated too often in our films.
The lost rightful heir has appeared in film after film in our cinema. The hero made to pass an impossible test, it may be a fight against a lion or an oversized brutal demon-like man, is also a formula that had been perfected by Dharmendra and sons, though this Lagaan moment in the film ‘ Pariksha sweekar hai ‘ does have its attraction.
IMAGE: Hrithik takes a boat ride down the Indus in Mohenjo Daro .
Ever since the film’s trailer was out, the film came under attack for playing with facts of history, especially in promoting the Hindutva view of history.
The trailer announced the setting of the film in 2016 BC, with a voiceover declaring the action of the narrative taking place before the British Raj, before Mughal rule, before Christ, and before the Buddha but avoided saying before the Vedic Age.
Then there were the rampaging horses in the trailer, the animal associated with the Aryans, which alerted critics.
The trailer was certainly not the complete picture. The film starts with the disclaimer that there are different views about Harappan civilisation and this gives Gowariker some freedom which he further mixes with his artistic licence.
Obviously Gowariker is not writing a history textbook but making a period film which should both appeal and entertain a big audience in 2016 and do good business.
In any case, as historian A L Basham says ‘Our knowledge of the Indus civilisation is inadequate in many respects, and it must be classed as prehistoric, for it has no history in the strict sense of the term.’
But surely enough Gowariker succeeds in drawing attention to India’s many continuous cultural traditions the appeal of which can still be felt.
IMAGE: Hrithik fights the croc in Mohenjo Daro .
T he very first scene of the film shows Sarman (Hrithik Roshan) rowing his boat which is attacked by a flying crocodile. The remarkable thing about this scene is that it establishes a sense of distance between 2016 BC and AD 2016.
If the presence of the crocodile evokes an exotic image of distance, the primitive man’s smelling the danger even before it has appeared does it even more intelligently.
Even when he is not all the time faithful to whatever is known about this history, Gowariker does manage to give some useful glimpses of the most ancient civilisation of the subcontinent.
The camera focuses many times on Mohenjo Daro seals and inscriptions the language of which has not been deciphered yet. In the same way the scenes showing planned architecture of Mohenjo Daro with its two-story houses of baked brick is a treat to watch as are the scenes of the marketplace which present the nature of trade in the city.
That the city invested in trade and it had trade relations with other contemporary civilisations like the Sumerian is also aptly communicated by the film. Mohenjo Daro’s famed public bath about which a lot has been written, shown in a song, may be mistaken for a swimming pool.
The excavations at the site revealed that Mohenjo Daro had a citadel on a platform and a town proper. This lends an opportunity to our filmmaker to take up the subject of class division as all films explore some kind of conflict for dramatic effect, most importantly between the poor and the rich.
IMAGE: Kabir Bedi who plays the villain in
Mohenjo Daro .
T he film highlights the difference between the upper and lower city and consequently between the poor and the rich, pitting the hero against the villain.
Gowariker’s film uses many uncertainties about historical facts very intelligently. It is a point of debate whether there was a centralised rule in this civilisation or democracy flourished from different institutions.
Gowariker shows both. The democratic institutions in Mohenjo Daro are represented in the meeting where heads of different professional groups voice their opinion freely and voting is the means to arrive at a decision.
When Sarman finally achieves his final victory over the villain, he refuses the control of Mohenjo Daro in favour of the common people. But there was no mistaking a centralised rule in Mohejo Daro as is shown by various arbitrary announcements from the ruler.
IMAGE: Pooja Hegde in Mohenjo Daro .
D ay to day life is also captured by the camera. The headgear associated with Mohenjo Daro women sits beautifully on the heads of dancers in the film, particularly on Chani (Pooja Hegde) who cannot be recognised by ordinary folk when it is not on her head.
As for the food, from one brief pan shot of the spread one is left a bit uncertain about the food choices of the people of Mohenjo Daro, though there does appear, apart from other eatables, what looks like grilled fowls.
Though it was not part of their life, the presence of the horse in Harappan civilisation has not been ruled out; in the film the horse is brought from the Central Asian city Bukhara (Uzbekistan) and it is a display item for the rich and a curiosity item for ordinary folk who are not familiar with this animal.
Of course, the filmic device of the hero taming an uncontrollable horse, that too when the horse threatens his beloved, proved too attractive to resist for Gowarikar.
The issue of the use of Sanskritised Hindi in the film has been criticised on ideological grounds. It was certainly needed because a slightly unfamiliar vocabulary at some places can convey the sense of distance better than a very familiar dialect.
IMAGE: Hrithik in Mohenjo Daro .
In the climax Gowarikar tries to introduce the contemporary issue of the displacement of population because of the building of dams. However, by moving the population of Mohenjo Daro to a different location because of heavy floods, Gowariker flirts with many historical opinions about the decline of Harappan civilisation.
He stays clear of the view that it met its end because of Aryan invasions. He rather focuses on natural causes and man-made cause of changing the course of the Indus river to appeal to a contemporary audience.
In between these scenes he stresses the use of boats and bullock carts in Mohenjo Daro to give a feel of the correct iconography of the city.
IMAGE: Hrithik in Mohenjo Daro .
H owever, Gowariker’s many choices to please the contemporary audience in 2016 appear of ideological nature. Of all the arms available to his hero he must choose a trishul to fight two deadly man-eaters from the hill.
But then which Bollywood hero did not use a
trishul ? The dead bodies in Mohenjo Daro, it is hinted, could be buried or cremated and the film highlights cremation. It can be questioned because Cemetry H culture dates from approximately 1900 BC to 1300 BC and the film is talking about 2016 BC.
In this phase of the Indus Valley civilisation, as many historians have noted, the dead in Mohenjo Daro were buried. Bringing in the discussion of Sir Mortimer Wheeler’s pioneering work on Harappa and referring to the discovery of a cemetery and 57 graves, A L Basham writes in The Wonder that was India : ‘It is clear that the dead were buried in an extended posture with pottery vessels and personal ornaments.’
Gowariker also uses his artistic licence in showing the unambiguous continuity between Mohenjo Daro and the Gangetic region. The last scene of the film has Sarman tasting the pure and clean water of the Ganga and asking his people to make their new home on its bank.
On balance Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro does what many history books could not have done. He awakens interest in the ancient civilisation of Harapppa and Mohenjo Daro.