Mission Mangal has taken an excellent opening of 50-55% which is the second best opening of the year after Bharat if we count Hindi films only. The pricing on ticket rates is similar to Bharat but the screen count is less with around 3100 screens and 10,500 shows across the country.

The occupancy is similar to last years Gold but the difference will be there is a lower GST rate and the ticket rates are higher and then also on top the competition has not opened as well as last year and these factors should comfortably take it past the 23.67 crore nett of Gold.

It will be a huge first day number for this type of film which does not have any of the elements of an initial film with no chartbuster song and no action. Its just one big star and the holiday factor taking the film to another level but the first day will be one off and the film will find its real level on day two and will have to go on from there to become a big HIT. The holiday first day ensures the film is a success unless something drastic goes wrong over the weekend. 

Batla House has taken an ordinary opening of 20-25% which is far lower than last years Satyameva Jayate. That film had scored very well in mass pockets and was ahead of Gold in these but the competition this time was multiplexes mainly as Batla House does not have anything for mass circuits and in the bigger multiplexes it has turned out to be a one horse race.

If this was not a big holiday then the Batla House opening would actually be pretty decent but with the drop coming after Independence Day the film will have a huge amount of work to do regain the momentum and there could be the problem of exhibitors giving its shows to Mission Mangal due to low occupancy. The only way this will not happen is if the public reports are good then it will have a chance to hold shows.

Last year saw Satyameva Jayate and Gold hit around 43.50 crore nett between them but that target seems impossible this year as there will be huge shortfall with Batla House over Satyamava Jayate and Mission Mangal will top the Gold number but by not enough to cover the shortfall. Its a great Independence Day for Mission Mangal but overall for the industry business is down compared to last year as far as Independence Day goes despite the extra boost of Raksha Bandhan falling on the same day, lower GST rates and higher ticket pricing.