Will Dream Girl 2 get affected at the box office by Gadar 2 and OMG 2 wave?
Written by Sneh Chaudhry on August 23, 2023
Dream Girl 2 is all set to release on Friday, August 25 and though there’s a lot of hype, it will face competition from the blockbuster, Gadar 2. Even OMG 2 might also give it a tough fight as the courtroom drama is still doing well. We asked trade experts if Ayushmann Khurrana’s comic caper will get affected by Sunny Deol’s action flick and Akshay Kumar-starrer.
Trade veteran Taran Adarsh said, “Dream Girl 2 comes with a tag of a franchise. The first part was very much loved. In the single screens, Gadar 2 will continue to roar. In multiplexes, the screens will be reduced to accommodate Dream Girl 2.”
He added, “Gadar 2 won’t get affected by Dream Girl 2’s as much as OMG 2. It had a bigger chunk of revenue coming from the multiplexes. That’s what the target audience of Dream Girl 2 is. In the heartlands, Gadar 2 is in a different league altogether. And Dream Girl 2 will get affected in single screens. I don’t think it has the power to withstand an opponent like Gadar 2.”
Raj Bansal, the owner of Entertainment Paradise in Jaipur, emphasized, “It’ll get affected not in terms of box office but in terms of showcasing. For a long time, there has been no comedy flick. OMG 2 is theme-based and delivers a social message. Gadar 2 is an Indo-Pak film with a lot of action. There are so many people who prefer to only watch light-hearted films. Dream Girl 2 fits the bill. Its runtime of 132 minutes is apt. Ayushmann Khurrana also is a decent actor.”
He also remarked, “Also, titles with ‘2’ are doing great at the box office. Gadar 2 and OMG 2 are huge hits and now Dream Girl 2 may benefit. There’s no logic to this notion obviously. It’s just an observation.”
Trade analyst Atul Mohan is confident of Dream Girl 2, “OMG 2 has almost exhausted its run. It has done most of its business. Dream Girl 2 is a new flick and looks like a typical comic caper. It’s a film that seems to be the one that’ll deliver a lot of laughs, as promised. It also looks massy. It’s been a while since such a film has released.”
Vishek Chauhan, the owner of Roopbani Cinema in Bihar, began by listing the films that Dream Girl 2 will be competing with, “Both Gadar 2 and OMG 2 are doing well. Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani is still finding takers. Gran Turismo, which also releases on August 25, will also get screens as it’s backed by Sony.”
He continued, “Dream Girl 2 looks like a nice film. People want to see it. But in an overcrowded market, is it viable to release a good film and get it murdered? Wouldn’t it be prudent for the producers and distributors to shift to a date when it gets an open week? Is there a national holiday on August 25? On the 25th, they’ll get screens but limited shows. Most single screens, where it has the potential to do well, will not screen the film as Gadar 2 is doing roaring business. Moreover, Dream Girl 2 has a strong North flavor and this is where Gadar 2 is also scoring. Its third weekend might be more than Dream Girl 2’s weekend.”
Vishek Chauhan believes that Dream Girl 2 should have come after a month, between Jawan and Salaar. Though it would have faced the heat from these two biggies, it would have still scored as right now, it’ll face competition from holdover releases as well. He stated, “They should have come on September 21. Gadar 2 right now is so strong as it had to share shows with OMG 2. Had Gadar 2 got all the screens, it would have exhausted its run in 10 days. Hence, September 21 is ideal as it’s an open week. Kaafi screens mil jaate. If the reports are good, the film will continue to earn even after the release of Salaar and The Vaccine War, just like how Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani didn’t drop much after the release of Gadar 2 and OMG 2.”
Vishek further said, “Right now, the public has a lot of choices. Dream Girl’s first part did very well. It’s the best performing Ayushmann Khurrana film in my theatre as it’s a massy film. It has a very Govinda-David Dhawan feel to it. Hence, it doesn’t make sense (to release it on August 25).”
He also reminded, “Also it only has 12 days to perform since Jawan will dominate from September 7.”
Raj Bansal also agreed that when competition is limited, films tend to do more. He gave an instance of OMG 2, “It got pitched against Gadar 2. Secondly, it got an ‘A’ certificate. Had it not faced these issues, it would have done a business of Rs. 200-225 crores.”
Opening day predictions
When asked to predict the first-day numbers, Taran Adarsh answered, “It should collect Rs. 8-9 crores, depending on the advance. But it may surprise as people are coming back to the theatres.”
Atul Mohan predicted, “It all depends on the screen count. Gadar 2 will be strong though theatres should sensibly reduce its shows. It won’t be a good decision to keep giving shows to Gadar 2 and not allowing a new film to thrive”.
He continued, “It has chances to have an opening of Rs. 10 crores or more. The buzz is there and the songs have worked. The on-ground promotion has also grabbed eyeballs. This is a film that will benefit Ayushmann Khurrana.”
Raj Bansal said, “I am looking at an opening of Rs. 7-8 crores. The problem again is showcasing. Dream Girl 2 will be accommodated in multiplexes as Gadar 2, OMG 2 and Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’s shows will be reduced. Single screen ki taraf toh Dream Girl 2 ko dekhna hi nahin hai.”
Vishek Chauhan rued, “The kind of brand it is, I was hoping Dream Girl 2 would open at Rs. 12-15 crores. And this would have been possible on any other date. Now, I have my doubts.”
To conclude
Taran Adarsh assured that if Dream Girl 2 gets public appreciation, it can emerge as a hit despite the competition. He proved his point with a valid instance, “The Kashmir Files, RRR and KGF – Chapter 2 released in a span of 35 days and all three did very well due to the power of content. So, it all boils down to content.”
He signed off by saying, “If Dream Girl 2 opens in double digits, it’ll be very good for the film industry because you have the footfalls coming in for a new release and that too in quick succession. Jawan anyway will have a terrific start. But if Dream Girl 2 also does well, then we can all say very happily and proudly that Bollywood is back with a bang and acche din wapis aa gaye!”
Source: Bollywoodhungama
