Hugh Jackman`s `X-Men Origins: Wolverine` set to be a megahit

Mumbai, June 21: After captivating worldwide audiences, Hollywood heartthrob Hugh Jackman starrer `X-Men Origins: Wolverine` is turning out to be a blockbuster in India as well as it has grossed more than Rs two crores in its opening day itself.A 20th Century Fox film, `X-Men Origins: Wolverine` opened in India on June 19 in English and Hindi and has garnered one of the highest openings among Hollywood films in India.

"The film has grossed more than Rs 2 crores in its opening day itself. The first two days have seen theatres running houseful across all regions of the country," said Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios India. Singh said that in the interiors of cities like Ghaziabad and Gorakhpur, in North India, morning shows as early as 9.30 am have gone housefull. At some centres the opening is comparable to that of blockbuster `Spiderman-3`. Sanjay Ghai of Mukta Arts, the leading distributor in North India said that the film has garnered the best opening for a Hollywood film in Delhi-UP, East Punjab region adding that the theatres are running 11 to 14 shows daily. "This is the highest collection (Rs 1.22 lakh) recorded for any movie (Hollywood or Bollywood) in a single day since DT Saket opened. We have planned 11 shows daily at our new multiplex opened yesterday at Vasantkunj," the Programming Head at DT Cinemas, Amit Shah said. In Western India, the opening is as big as Oscar winning film `Slumdog Millionaire` with less number of prints. Most shows are running houseful in Tier II cities like Aurangabad and Solapur. Most of the single screens have covered their rental on the opening day itself. The film has also got good collections down south with cinema halls in Hyderabad giving up to 11 shows for the film. Even Kerala has seen one of the biggest openings for any Hollywood film in recent times. "We are expecting to reach between 90-100 percent for Saturday-Sunday as the report of the movie is good. Also recently no English movie has done well in the Nizam circuit and we are sure that this movie will put an end to that dry run," said T Srikanth, General Manager Operations Prasad Imax Hyderabad. Suresh Shenoy of Sridhar theatre Ernakulam is also pleased with the kind of response the film has got in Ernakulam, Trivandrum and Kozhikode. Directed by Gavin Hood, the film starring Hugh Jackman`, Ryan Reynolds, Live Schreiber & Dominic Monaghan X-Men Origins: Wolverine has grossed 160 million US dollars in its opening weekend and has crossed 350 million USD worldwide and still counting. Bureau Report