13 August,2013 12:36 PM IST | | Jigar Shah
After a long lull at the box office, looks like there is no stopping Rohit Shetty's Chennai Express starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone at the moment. At the time of going to press, the film was expected to cross the Rs 100 crore mark by last night.
Photos: Bollywood stars at Shah Rukh Khan's Eid party
With a massive opening on Thursday night, Chennai Express broke records with its paid preview. With very less competition at the marquee, the film raked in Rs 93 crore by Sunday night, Monday collections summed up to Rs 12.62 crore; totalling up to Rs 105. 62 crore in first four days. A source says, "The stage was set for SRK's film. The only major movie to be running alongside is Farhan Akhtar's Bhaag Milkha Bhaag."
Photos: Special screening of 'Chennai Express'
According to insiders, the film approximately collected Rs 32.5 crore on Friday, Rs 26.5 crore on Saturday and Rs 28 crore on Sunday. The paid preview of the film on Thursday is said to have collected around Rs 6 crore.u00a0Trade analyst Amod Mehra says, "The film will cross the Rs 100 crore figure today (Monday). It has done fantastic business. Today there is a 60 per cent drop but that was expected. Friday was terrific. Saturday saw a drop of 10 per cent but Sunday was as good as Friday."
Distributor Sunny Khanna says, "Chennai Express has broken all records in becoming the first film to have earned Rs 93.05 crore net in three and half days. By terms of its opening collections, it has beaten hands down films like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Ek Tha Tiger, Dabanng 2, 3 Idiots and others. King Khan is back at ruling the box office."
According to Amul Mohan, trade analyst, the film has been getting a bumper response. He says, "It could have yielded better figures had the makers not kept the paid previews. If the people who saw the film on Thursday would have thronged the cinemas on Friday, it would have earned the highest ever opening day collection beating Salman Khan's Ek Tha Tiger. Farhan's film is sitting pretty at Rs 105 crore. Being exempted from taxes has helped the collections of BMB."u00a0
