Main Vaapas Aaunga is seeing a clear jump in theatrical demand during its second weekend. The Imtiaz Ali-directed film, which began slowly at the box office, has picked up through the weekdays and is now getting extra shows in several centres.
According to the source report, the film earned Rs. 2 crores on its second Friday. That figure was higher than its first Friday collection of Rs. 1.28 crore. The improvement has encouraged exhibitors to increase screenings on the film’s ninth day, its second Saturday.
Late-night and early morning shows added
The demand has led to unusual show timings in some theatres. PVR C&B Square in Mumbai is scheduled to screen Main Vaapas Aaunga at 2:00 am on Sunday, June 21. In Bengaluru, PVR Nexus has added a 6:50 am show, which the report says is already fast filling.
Trade sources cited in the report said more cinemas are adding early morning and post-midnight shows because audience interest is visible. This is a notable shift for a film that did not open with a large first-day number but has improved with time in cinemas.
Exhibitors point to steady growth
Gautam Dutta, CEO – Revenue & Operations, PVR INOX Limited, said the company is watching the film’s trajectory closely. He described the week-on-week growth as an encouraging sign for exhibitors.
“What we’re tracking closely with Main Vaapas Aaunga is the shape of its trajectory, not just the topline box office number. The film has grown steadily through the week, which is exactly the kind of trend exhibitors like to see, as it reflects genuine and sustained audience interest rather than a front-loaded opening,” he said.
Dutta added that the film’s momentum is being driven by word-of-mouth around Imtiaz Ali’s storytelling, Naseeruddin Shah’s performance and A R Rahman’s score. He also said the film is performing above its first-week levels even with new releases entering cinemas this week.
Ritesh Arora, Programming Head at MovieMax, also noted the change in audience response after the opening weekend. He said the film had a slow start last week but saw an impressive turnaround during the weekdays, with collections improving steadily.
“The momentum has continued into the weekend, with shows going houseful and additional screenings being added to cater to the increasing audience demand,” Arora said.
Cinépolis and West Bengal increase screenings
Cinépolis India has also expanded the film’s show count. Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinepolis, said the chain, which operates 497 screens across the country, increased shows by 30% from Friday to Saturday because of rising demand and improving occupancies nationwide.
The growth is also visible in West Bengal. Satadeep Saha, the film’s distributor in the state, said the film had 24 shows on Friday. It is now playing in more than 50 shows, and for Sunday the count is expected to be more than 75 shows.
“It clearly shows the demand the film has generated,” Saha said.
The film’s second-weekend performance is being watched because its early numbers were modest. The current pattern suggests that audience turnout has strengthened after the first week, leading exhibitors to adjust programming quickly.
About the film
Main Vaapas Aaunga is directed by Imtiaz Ali. The film features Naseeruddin Shah, and its music is by A R Rahman. It is produced by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment, along with Mohit Choudhary and Shibasish Sarkar of Window Seat Films.
The added shows across chains and regions indicate that the film is drawing more viewers in its second weekend than its opening suggested. The coming Sunday show count, especially in markets where screens have already been increased, will be important for its box office run.
Source: Bollywood Hungama.