26 January,2018 09:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
Deepika Padukone expected "earth-shattering" box-office numbers from Padmaavat. But in the trying circumstances that the film has released - with several screens across Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh refusing to show the film in fear of protests - trade pundits opine that one would be able to judge its box-office performance only over the next few days.
Trade analyst Komal Nahta said, "The earnings from paid previews [on Wednesday] scored somewhere between Rs 4.5 to 5 crore. As far as Day One collections go, I would assume it's over Rs 20 crore." The film that released in 4,000 screens across India, registered about 50-60 per cent occupancy on Day One. However, it wasn't without episodes of violent protests in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
The numbers may rise over the weekend. As distributor Akshaye Rathi points out, the film's performance "depends on the law enforcement agencies and how they handle the situation. There is a good chance that things will settle after January 26. For now, the occupancy is sporadic, depending on the situation of each centre."
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