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The stunt atop Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible — The Ghost Protocol
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The Bhattacharyas of Ballygunge had a date with Tom Cruise last weekend — not once, but twice. The family of four watched Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol on Friday night and liked it so much that they went back for a repeat viewing on Sunday afternoon. “We haven’t ever done that for a Bollywood film,” said Sunit Bhattacharya, not ruling out a third MI 4 trip to the plex this week.
The latest film in the blockbuster franchise starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt has got off to a great start in the city, with multiplexes running one crowded show after another since Friday.
“We have had a fantastic weekend, courtesy MI 4. The film has surprisingly done well even at our Rajarhat property (City Centre II) that traditionally does not register such good numbers for English films,” said Subhasis Ganguli, regional director, INOX.
At the chain’s Forum plex, the weekend footfall for MI 4 was more than 90 per cent.
“We had 10 houseful shows through the weekend, which is quite rare for a Hollywood release. Even on weekdays, the crowd count has been high,” said an official of Fame Cinemas.
On the first three days of the week, average occupancy for MI 4 was 50 per cent, much higher than that for The Dirty Picture (in Week 3) and Ladies vs Ricky Bahl (in Week 2).
To say it in figures, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol collected Rs 60 lakh in the first three days across 26 screens in Bengal.
“The opening was huge and with the holiday season approaching, we expect the film to keep its momentum going,” said Mahendra Soni of Shree Venkatesh Films, the regional distributors of the film that has been shot across the US, Russia and Dubai.
According to www.boxofficeindia.com, the film made on a budget of $140 million netted Rs 19 crore over the weekend across India, beating the previous best of Rs 18 crore net by 2012 two years ago.
Cruise fans young and old have made up a chunk of the MI 4 audience. “I have been a Tom Cruise fan since Top Gun. Mission Impossible wouldn’t be Mission Impossible without him,” said a member of a gang of girls after an MI 4 show at Fame (South City).
“The opening of MI 4 in India has been huge because Mission Impossible is a brand and so is Tom Cruise. Plus, the death-defying stunts are a huge draw,” said trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
School student Yash Kapoor, who had walked into the first day, first show at Fame (South City) for the action sequences, felt the latest MI is the best in the series. His favourite scene? The 10-minute daredevil stunt by Cruise atop Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
The much-publicised cameo by Anil Kapoor has also boosted collections. “To see an Indian actor in a huge Hollywood franchise has been a contributor to the footfall. Plus, a part of the film is set in India, even though it has not been shot here,” added Adarsh.
The MI 4 dream run caps a year of Hollywood box-office winners — from Tintin to Twilight, Harry Potter to Happy Feet. And though Don and Feluda are set to storm the box office this Friday, Ethan Hunt will not bow out in a hurry. “Going by the figures, MI 4 is here for a few more weeks,” said Ganguli of INOX.
Why did you watch/not watch MI 4? Tell ttmetro@abpmail.com
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