Runway 34, directed by Ajay Devgn and starring himself, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakul Preet Singh, and Boman Irani, debuted to dismal box office results. Better initials would have been expected for an ensemble cast with such talented actors, but that was not the case. After a rocky start, Saturday’s box office statistics were 55 percent higher than Friday’s across all venues. The night shows are likely to be even better, resulting in a nearly 62 percent increase over Friday.
On Day 1 at the box office, Runway 34 earned a paltry Rs. 3 crore net. Saturday’s statistics indicate that the film is grossing between Rs 4.75 and 5 crores. The statistics are still modest, but we can detect a shift in momentum, and this is before Eid. If Sunday grows at the same rate as Saturday, the picture has a real chance to capitalize on the Eid holidays. Runway 34 is aimed at a very specific crowd, and this group hasn’t visited theatres since the pandemic.
The buzz is mostly positive, and we’ll have to wait and see if that translates into a healthy box office performance. There was a chance of flat or small growth, as with other pandemic releases. Still, there is a significant surge, which is a positive indication exhibited by Runway 34, as word of mouth propels the collection in the correct direction. The jump tomorrow and hold on Monday will give us an idea of where the film will go in the long term.
