Has 'Kahaani 2' managed to break the sequel jinx at the box office?

Vidya Balan in 'Kahaani 2'

Franchise films that hit screens over the last month and half -- 'Rock On 2', 'Force 2' and 'Tum Bin 2' -- failed to set the box office coffers ringing. Blame it on demonetisation or a general disinterest on the audience's part, each of the highly anticipated sequels bit the dust. The trade was expecting last Friday's release, Vidya Balan-starrer Kahaani 2, to change the industry's fortunes and in its opening weekend, the thriller has collected Rs 16.97 crore. But, the question here is: has this sequel managed to break the jinx of the twos falling in a row?

Also read: 'Kahaani 2' - Movie Review

Trade pundit Taran Adarsh says, "It has managed to break the jinx to an extent, and that's evident from the daywise growth in collections. Post demonetisation, entertainment is not on top of people's priority list now. But, with Dear Zindagi, which released on November 25, normalcy had somewhat returned. Things are slowly but surely getting back on track. Business is expected to recover with Aamir Khan's 'Dangal'."

However, box office analyst Amod Mehra disagrees. "'Kahaani 2' didn't live up to expectations. The opening was poor, and the weekend saw a small rise in business. To its disadvantage, the audience has been comparing the film to the first part. For good business, the film has to bank only on positive word-of-mouth buzz now," he explains.

'Rock On 2'

It's too early to declare if the Sujoy Ghosh film will meet the same fate as the other sequels, argues tradesmith Amul Mohan. "I wouldn't want to jump the gun. 'Kahaani 2' is slightly more expensive than the first instalment, and given a darker subject this time, the family audience has been isolated, so to say. Demonetisation has also played a part in keeping movie buffs away from theatres. But, things will look up around fortnight later when Dangal releases," he adds.

Box office stats
'Rock On 2' - Rs 7.01cr
'Tum Bin 2' - Rs 2.50cr
'Force 2' - Rs 20cr