Residents come out after a show of Shuddh Desi Romance at Regent on Friday. Picture by Jai Prakash

A new-age love story beat the remake of a Bollywood classic in Patna on the day the two films released.

On Friday, Shuddh Desi Romance and Zanjeer both vied for the love of the audience. The story of a live-in relationship in a small town triumphed over the revenge drama.

After the chutzpah of Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) that made stars of Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh and won him a Filmfare, Maneesh Sharma seems to have delivered another magical hit. Starring Patna boy Sushant Singh Rajput and the vivacious Parineeti Chopra, the film had 15 shows — eight at Cinepolis, five at Elphinstone and two at Regent — on the opening day. It collected Rs 9.8 lakh.

“It’s a wonderful film. All the three actors (the film also has debutant Vaani Kapoor) have performed very well. The film wasn’t boring for a minute,” said Avinash Kumar, a resident of Daldali Road, who had come to Regent to see the film.

Besides the sharp performances and sleek editing (2 hour 20 minute running time), the local connection of Rajput also seems to have worked in its favour. “The audience always wants to see local stars on the big screen. Sushant is a Patna boy. He has naturally pulled the crowd,” said Abhishek Ranjan, manager, Cinepolis.

Its competition — Zanjeer, a remake of the eponymous 1973-blockbuster that catapulted none other than Amitabh Bachchan to superstardom — had few takers on the opening day. Those who went to watch it came out disappointed.

“I thought it would be a good movie. But I had a headache by the time I came out,” said Buddha Colony resident Ravi Singh, after a show at Mona.

He added: “I should have gone to see Shuddh Desi Romance instead.”

Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, Zanjeer is the Bollywood debut of Ram Charan and also stars Priyanka Chopra and Prakash Raj. It collected Rs 6.7 lakh on Friday, despite five item numbers, including one with Sanjay Dutt, who is cooling his heels in jail.

Experts explained why the remake had failed to attract the audience.

Film critics and adviser of Cine Society Patna, R.N. Das, said: “Remakes are usually weaker than the original. People already know the story by the time they go to the cinema. Only an exceptional treatment — like Hrithik Roshan-starrer Agneepath (2012) — can taste success.”

He added: “A film like Shuddh Desi Romance strikes a chord with the youth as it deals with contemporary subjects like live-in relationships. Naturally, it has done better business on the first day.”

What do you think of live-in relationships? Tell ttbihar@abp.in