On a steady Race to finish
Salman Khan starrer Race 3 seems set to cross the ` 300-crores mark for collections worldwide, after a run of two weeks at the box office. According to the report on Box Office India website dated June 27, Race 3 had garnered ` 161 crore nett (approx.), making it the second highest grosser of the year after Padmaavat.
Apart from the box-office success, industry sources say that the Remo D’Souza directorial has fetched another ` 200 crores from satellite, digital, music, and ancillary rights. In fact, even before the film released, speculations were rife that the satellite rights of Race 3 had been sold for a whopping ` 100 crore.
Despite a mixed response from the critics, the audience thronged the theatres to watch the action extravaganza. Trade analyst Atul Mohan explains that Salman’s popularity, coupled with the longest weekend in the year, helped rake in the moolah. “Critics have not really been favourable to Salman’s film except for Bajrangi Bhaijaan where he got great reviews wholeheartedly. He is a hero of the masses and has a huge fan following. We sit here in metro cities and make critical judgements about the film, but all his fans based in smaller cities who cycle for 25kms just to see Salman’s movies in the theatre, don’t care. They don’t follow reviews and they only need to see him on the big screen.”
Salman also turned distributor for the film and consequently reaped benefits. For him, Race 3 has turned out to be one of the biggest earners of his career as he not only co-produced the film but also distributed it. Trade analyst Komal Nahta attributes the large revenue collections of the film to the high cost at which it was sold to the distributors. “`300 crores as a figure for Race 3 is possible because of all the revenues put together. Producers have made money because satellite and digital rights have gone for a huge price. And then this collection figure includes the overseas revenue. In the final tally, it is a profitable enterprise but that is because it’s a Salman Khan film. He is assured of a certain minimum amount at the box office and that is his brand value and following.”
Salman is known to treat his fans on Eid each year and releasing the film during this period has also worked in his favour. A trade analyst, not wanting to be named, says, “If you compare Race 3 with Tubelight, Race 3 is more entertaining. After Wanted, if Salman has discovered that Eid is a favourable time for him, then why wouldn’t he exploit that? Every actor looks for an exclusive period in a year that will be identified with his stardom. Aamir Khan is known for Christmas releases, Shah Rukh Khan is known for Diwali releases and Akshay Kumar is known to release his films on the Republic or Independence Day. Similarly, Salman’s fans look forward to his films every Eid.”
Thanking the audience for their continued support, Salman tweeted, “I thank every 1 who has gone to see #Race3 in the theaters n each n every 1 individually for watching race n glad that u have liked n appreciated every 1s effort that was put in the movie. God bless sukhi raho n keep watching means a lot.”