Bell Bottom Box Office Prediction: Will Akshay's Film Rake In Big Numbers With No Release In Maharashtra?

Updated: Wednesday, August 18, 2021, 10:44 [IST]

Akshay Kumar's much anticipated spy thriller Bell Bottom will be releasing in cinema halls on August 19, 2021 amid the COVID-19 scenario. It's the first major Bollywood big-ticket film to release on big screens ever since the pandemic struck its ugly head in the country.

While there's a lot of buzz around this film, the trade circuit is hopeful that it will bring back good times for Bollywood even though it's going to lose a big chunk of collections owing to the restrictions in cinema halls and no-show in Maharashtra.

Here's what the trade analysts have predicted about the film's performance at the box office on first day of its theatrical release.

Bell Bottom Opening Day Box Office Prediction

Trade analyst Komal Nahta predicted an opening of Rs 7 crore for Bell Bottom with its limited theatrical release.

An Etimes report quoted him as saying, "In almost all of India, where the cinemas are open, they're functioning at 50% capacity with other restrictions of not working beyond 10 o'clock among other things. So with all those restrictions, the first day figure for Bell Bottom could be 7 crore. I think it's a very good figure and they will be able to achieve that. Akshay Kumar, Vashu Bhagnani and Nikhil Advani need to be lauded for at least making a beginning. It doesn't matter if Maharashtra is closed, they don't want to postpone the movie further."

Trade Analyst Atul Mohan Believes The Opening Day Figure Will Depend On The Exact Screen And Show Count

"I am expecting it to open in the vicinity of Rs 5 to 6 crore and it will be a good result looking at the situation we are in. This Rs 5 crore will be equal to Rs 15 crore in the non-covid times. Someone had to take the initiative of releasing on the big screen and this is certainly a step in right direction. Kudos to the team to set the right mood in the trade," Mohan was quoted as saying.

Will Bell Bottom's Box Office Numbers Get Affected By No Release In Maharashta?

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh told ETimes that the COVID-19 restrictions and no-show in Maharashtra will impact the business of Bell Bottom.

He explained, "We don't know the screen count yet but the makers may lose out on 30-35% from that money that is coming in right now. Mumbai and Maharashtra contribute massively, having said that, it is a brave step on the part of the producers. The sector is already bleeding and someone or the other had to take a call."

Will Akshay's Espionage Thriller Enter The 100 Crore Club?

Komal Nahta shared, "This is a very intelligent film, at least the promo suggests that. So these types of films definitely work better in big cities and it will be a big loss for 'Bellbottom' to skip Maharashtra circuit. If released in a normal situation, Bell Bottom would have definitely been a 100 crore plus movie and it would have taken an opening of at least 14-15 crore on day 1, which is phenomenal! This figure ensures more or less that the movie will cross 100 crore. If the reports are good then 100 crore looks like quite an achievable target."

Meanwhile, Trade Analysts Laud The Team For Choosing A Theatrical Release

"Holistically, I am happy that Bell Bottom has started the cycle for the industry again. I am glad that things have started rolling again and I hope it does Rs 75 crore at the box office. But for me as an industry insider, I am just happy with the fact that this film is trying to get the audiences back. Kudos to Akshay and Bell Bottom team for leading the path," Girish Johar told Pinkvilla.

Helmed by Ranjit M Tewari, Bell Bottom stars Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor, Lara Dutta and Huma Qureshi in pivotal roles.