Punjabi Pic ‘Jodi’ Latest To Break Into Strong Market For Indian Fares – Specialized Box Office

Indian films are a box office mainstay and a, Jodie, from Rhythm Boyz Entertainment, hit hard this weekend in the United States, grossing $734,000 from just 125 screens. In April, the film set a record as the most watched Punjabi trailer in 24 hours (over 12 million views on YouTube).

“It’s happening more and more – Indian films are ranking in the top 5, or 10, or 15th” in North America, said Paul Degarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, which compiled the figures on Jodie. “It shows the strength of Indian cinema. That’s a really impressive number, almost three-quarters of a million dollars in 125 theaters. Those who pop do very well on average per venue, even if they earn between $1 million and $2 million or aren’t in the top ten, he said. At Jodi’s The PTA is $5.75,000.

Some other escapes this year include Waltair Veerayya, Tu Jhoothi ​​Main Makkaar And Dasara. Indian films could end up being even more important to exhibitors down the line given the potential for prolonged industrial action in Hollywood.

Jodie is a musical love story written and directed by Amberdeep Singh, starring Dosanjh and Nimrat Khaira as two talented and passionate artists who embarked on a journey to redefine the Punjabi folk music scene in the 1980s. It is said to be based on the life of murdered Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila and his second wife Bibi Amarjot Kaur. The film was scheduled to be released twice during Covid and its opening was nearly suspended on Friday in a legal rights dispute that was resolved at the last minute, according to dispatches.

Elsewhere in the specialty: Multicultural romantic comedy What’s love got to do with it? by Shout! The studios grossed around $78,000 from more than 500 screens, sources say.

Limit: Kino Lorber opened a political thriller Chile ’76 in two theaters to a debut of $16,000 for a handsome PTA of $8,000 – making it the highest-grossing subtitled film in New York this weekend, the distributor said. Expanding to LA and other markets on May 19.

Greenwhich Entertainment doc The Melt Goes On Forever: The Art and Times of David Hammons grossed around $6.25,000 at one location, the Film Forum in New York. THE race starts on June 2 at Laemmle Monica.

KimStim opened Disorders in New York at the Film at Lincoln Center for $4.2,000. Hits Los Angeles May 19 at Laemmle Monica.

Retentions: Sisu of Lionsgate sees around $1.08 million (for a cumulative $5.5 million+) across 1,000 screens in week two, where it sits at no. 10 at the box office. In the desperate last days of World War II, a lone prospector (Jorma Tommila) crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland.

At Nida Manzoor Polite company from Focus Features is grossing an estimated $215,000 weekend and a run-to-date of $1.3 million.

Release of Sideshow/Janus Films The Eight Mountains grossed around $16,000 across 4 screens, for a per-screen average of $4,000 and a new cume of $57,300.

NMR from IFC Films grossed approximately $11,000 in week two from 41 locations grossing $22,100.

Abramorama Documentary 32 sounds brought in $4,000 in one go for a cumulative $27,900.