Despite flops, Bollywood earns Rs 1000 crore in 3 months

Despite flops like Kangana Ranaut’s Katti Batti, Sooraj Pancholi’s Hero and All Is Well, Bollywood has earned 30% more in the third quarter of 2015, compared to last year.

Bollywood has earned 30% more in the third quarter of 2015, compared to last year.

Kangana Ranaut and Imran Khan in a still from Katti Batti.(YOUTUBE)

The third quarter of this year has turned out to be a major money spinner for Bollywood, with the industry making Rs 1000 crore from films released in July, August and September. What’s more, this revenue is 30% more than what the industry had earned in the same quarter, last year.

“It’s been an incredible quarter! If we just add up three films, Bajrangi Bhaijaan , Bahubali and Drishyam, their net domestic earnings is about Rs 600 crore,” says trade analyst Akshaye Rathi. Released on July 31, Drishyam earned Rs 68.64 crore.

Ajay Devgn and Shriya Sharan in a still from Drishyam. (YOUTUBE)

However, Bollywood saw it’s share of flops as well, with films like the Imran Khan-starrer Katti Batti, Abhishek Bachchan’s All Is Well, Sooraj Pancholi’s Hero and even Akshay Kumar’s Brothers doing below average business. However, experts say the films that did well, made up for the loss. While Katti Batti earned Rs 21 crore, All Is Well grossed Rs 12 crore at the ticket windows. Sooraj Pancholi’s debut film collected Rs 31 crore.

“Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Baahubali and Drishyam have earned so much money, that they have made up for the flops,” says trade analyst Atul Mohan and adds, “Also, Hero was sold to the same distribution company as Bajrangi for a nominal amount. So even though the film has collected about Rs 30 crore, it is an additional income for the film.”

Interestingly, the genre of comedy has been successful in keeping the cash counters ringing too. Anees Bazmee’s Welcome Back and comedian Kapil Sharma’s first film, Kis Kisko Pyaar Karu, has drawn audiences to the theatres. Abbas-Mustan, directors of Kapil’s film told us earlier, “This is a small budget film. We don’t expect to make Rs 100 crore from it.” The film is currently having a dream run at the ticket windows with a collection of Rs 18.75 crore in just two days.

Welcome Back earned Rs 95.4 crore. “I was very careful while writing the sequel. Everything had to be bigger, funnier than Welcome (2007). What I didn’t expect was this kind of response. The audience likes the film so much, in spite of the critics not taking to the film,” says Bazmee.