Let's face facts! A handful of actors [SRK, Aamir, Akshay, Hrithik] have the power to lure audiences in hordes. Their solo starrers have the magnetism to draw audiences to theatres. The remaining actors work in packages only, unless there's a fluke success.

At the cost of puncturing the ego of many a star, the fact remains that their solo starrers would [a] Find it tough to get the right distributor and the right price, [b] Find it tough to fetch lucrative terms from exhibitors, [c] Find it tough to fetch a staggering start at the box-office. But, as a package, with Karan Johar in the driver's seat in this case [‘Dostana’], it has ensured [a] An attractive price from its principal distributors [Rs. 50 cr. +], [b] The best terms from exhibitors, [c] A favourable start at the ticket counters.

If the Friday figures of ‘Dostana’ were good, the film actually showed its strength on Saturday and Sunday. This trend was witnessed not just in India, but also in the West. The U.K. and U.S. day-wise figures indicate a big jump on Saturday and Sunday. In India, the first weekend is roughly in the range of Rs. 18 - Rs. 20 cr. nett [as per industry experts and also Dharma Productions], definitely not Rs. 15 cr. nett, as some ill-informed sources would like us to believe.

So what does the Rs. 18 - Rs. 20 cr. nett mean? Translated into simple terms, it means ‘Dostana’ is off to a great start, despite the Abhishek - Priyanka starrer ‘Drona’ still fresh in our minds. John's solo act in ‘No Smoking’ hasn't been forgotten either.

... contd.