Box office: Dhoni biopic registers second highest opening of 2016

A still from MSDhoni: The Untold Story

MS Dhoni may be known as the 'best finisher' in world cricket, but his opening act was equally formidable. The Indian cricket captain's biopic, which hit screens last Friday, has set the box office coffers ringing once again after a dull patch. In its first three-day run, Neeraj Pandey's 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story' collected Rs 66 crore, becoming the second biggest opener of 2016 so far next only to Salman Khan's 'Sultan'.

Given India's obsession with cricket and Dhoni's popularity, film hawks were anticipating the first day figures to be in the range of R18-20 crore, but trust MSD to exceed expectations. The Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer opened to packed houses and by the end of the day, it had made Rs 21.30 crore. On Saturday and Sunday, the numbers stood at Rs 20.60 crore and Rs 24.10 crore, respectively.

Trade expert Amod Mehra, "As expected, MSD opened with a massive six on day one and by the end of Sunday, the ball went out of the ground. It should comfortably hit a century in its very first week. It is a super hit." The pre-puja is traditionally not considered a good time to from the BO perspective, points out trade-smith Vishek Chauhan, but Dhoni biopic seems to have changed all rules.

Also read: 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story' - Movie Review

"What worked for the film is that Dhoni is a legend for the current generation of movie-goers, who have watched him steer the Indian team to victory in the 2011 World Cup. Besides, his appeal is not limited to certain pockets; he is a pan-India icon. The word-of-mouth buzz is extremely strong. This is a film that is being watched two or three times over by the junta," he says. Will Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Mirzya, which releases this Friday, eat into Dhoni's business? "It seems unlikely. Dhoni will manage to get maximum screens," adds Chauhan.

Also read: This actor lost 15 kilos to play Yuvraj Singh in Dhoni biopic! (See Pic!)