Box Office prediction: Will Salman's Dabangg 2 break ETT records?

Salmania is at its peak once again after four months after the release of Superstar Salman Khan's last film Ek Tha Tiger. The countdown has begun for his next much-awaited movie Dabangg 2, which is slated to hit the screens worldwide on this Friday for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Many are keeping their fingers crossed about it whether it will break the records of Dabangg and Ek Tha Tiger.

Salman Khan's 2010 film Dabangg has set several new records at the Indian Box Office. His last release Ek Tha Tiger, which released on August 15, 2012, has broken some of its records and registered few new records. To recall a few, it is the highest first day grosser (Rs 32.92 crores in India), the fastest Rs 100 crore grosser (in five days), the highest grosser of the year 2012 and the second highest grosser of all time in the history of Indian Cinema. Will Dabangg 2 break these records?

Dabangg, which hit the theatres across globe on 10 September 2010, was released in 1,800 screens in India and around 300 screens overseas, while Ek Tha Tiger hit 3,300 screens across the country and 550 screens overseas. Whereas Dabangg 2 is releasing in over 3,000 screens in India and 450 screens overseas. In volume of release, Dabangg 2 has surely broken Dabangg records, but it will not cross the other one.

Dabangg was released on Eid holiday and it has seven days first week, while Ek Tha Tiger hit the screens on Independence day holiday and it had nine day extended first week. In addition, it had Eid holiday, which boosted its first week collection (Rs 150 crores in India). Whereas Dabangg 2 is releasing on non-holiday and will have seven days first week. But it is expected to cash in on Christmas holiday, which falls on its fifth day of its release.

However, Dabangg 2 is a sequel to blockbuster movie Dabangg, which has created huge hype for the film. Secondly, this flick marks Salman's brother Arbaaz Khan's debut as director. Sajid-Wajid's music and its trailers have soared up the curiosity of the movie buffs to sky high. Besides these aspects, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha has been busy promoting the film on a few TV channels and also visiting various metros across the country.

But trade experts feel that Dabangg 2 lacks huge craze, hype and promotion when compared to Salman Khan's last release Ek Tha Tiger. Moreover, it is hitting the screens on a non-holiday. Hence, trade analysts think Dabangg 2 will not be able to break first day, weekend and week records of Ek Tha Tiger. But their Box Office predictions for Dabangg 2 shows clearly that the movie will cross Rs 100 crore mark in the first week.

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