'Queen' Kangana Ranaut wins over Dubai; Cinemas increase shows

Most expats and UAE nationals lap up Hindi movies, endorsing its quirky flamboyance and the innumerable song and dances that pepper the narrative.

While Hindi movies traditionally do well in the UAE, a movie minus the Khan-superpower usually fizzles out after its first weekend.

However, Vikas Bahl’s ‘Queen’ is an exception to that rule.

Four weeks after it hit the cinemas, UAE residents continue to queue up to watch Kangana Ranaut’s endearing take on Rani as she fights her inner insecurities and pain after being dumped by her lover on the eve of their wedding.

“I couldn’t get tickets for the show last weekend, it was house-full at Lamcy Plaza,” said N Kumar, who is planning another trip to the cinemas this weekend.

The demand has lead local movie showcasers to increase the number of screens and show times.

“Queen has been a fantastic performing movie for us, ” said Imran Haider, acting operations director at Gulf Film and Grand Cinemas, Dubai.

“When we positioned this movie at the beginning of its first week we had no idea that it would be so popular.”

He added that in its opening weekend, ‘Queen’ was pitched against 13 new releases, with “the hugely anticipated ‘300: Rise of an Empire’, ‘Mr. Peabody & Sherman’, Tagalog movie ‘Starting Over Again’, and two other Hindi movies – ‘Gulaab Gang’ and ‘Total Siyapaa’, leaving little room to manoeuvre”.

The movie, however, outdid the competition.

“We opened up additional shows, moved to larger screens and even operated later where we could to ensure that as many people that wanted to see this movie were able to, but it kept selling out.

“It’s now going strong into its fourth week.”

India-based trade analyst Taran Adarsh told Emirates24|7 that “(the) film is rocking everywhere”.

He later tweeted, “#Queen is holding exceptionally well in USA, Canada, UK and UAE-GCC. Overseas total so far: $ 1,642,711 [INR 9.98 crore]. Source: Rentrak.”

So far, ‘Queen’ has done INR2.96 crores in UAE and GCC.

For India, Taran tweeted, “#Queen [Week 3] Fri 1.35 cr, Sat 2.50 cr. Grand total: ₹ 43.85 cr nett. India biz only. Superb!”

Vikas Bahl, director of Queen, is however oblivious to the numbers.

Talking exclusively to Emirates24|7, he said, “I'll have to find out from my producer as I am clueless on the numbers. But way, way beyond what one can plan dream or pursue.”

When ‘Queen’ released on March 6 (UAE) and a day later in India, it had to compete with Madhuri Dixit-Juhi Chawala’s lady gang-war ‘Gulaab Gang’ and the quirky Indo-Pak rom-com ‘Total Siyapaa’.

Although ‘Gulaab Gang’ started off well, it soon slumped, leaving ‘Queen’ to rule undisturbed. Even ‘Total Siyapaa’ failed to put up a good fight at the box-office.

“#Queen is going from strength to strength not just in India, but also in international markets. Witnesses massive jump everywhere,” tweeted Taran, a week after its release.

Two weeks later, he observed that the “Kangna-starrer, which started on a sluggish note and gathered momentum in its opening weekend itself, is generating better business in its second weekend [in most circuits]”.

He later tweeted, “#Queen Week 2 is BIGGER than Week 1. Unbelievable and unimaginable in today's times. AWESOME!”

According to him, “the business of any film - from weekend to weekdays - usually declines from 50% to 70%, depending on the merits of the film, but in this case [QUEEN], the business only escalated on weekdays [Mon to Thu].

“Interestingly, Apart from the euphoric business in the Indian market, QUEEN is doing brisk business in the international sector as well.”

The analyst concluded, “The makers of ‘Queen’ must be grinning from ear to ear.”

What can we say, so are the audience!

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