The similarity in Box-office Success between ‘Chennai Express’, ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ and ’3 Idiots’?

When Salman Khan's 'Ek Tha Tiger' hit the screens in August last year,
nobody could even guess its super hit reach. But the film brought
Salman on par with the
other two Khans in Bollywood crossing the Rs.100 crore club that in the first
week itself.

Now that Shahrukh Khan starrer 'Chennai Express' has beaten the record
set by 'Ek Tha Tiger' by crossing Rs.100 crore in 4 days, compared to
Salman Khan starrer that crossed Rs.100 crore in five days, Bollywood
records come under pressure again.

Both films were released for Ramzan
festival of Muslims that helped attract the country's massive Muslim
audience to the screens. Both films were released in more than 3,500
screens setting the box-office record straight, that more the number
of the screens, faster the box office collections. In one week, the
film should recover its cost and run the race to earn profits, became
the new Bollywood business mantra.

In all, the SRK film made Rs.135.42 crore
when added its overseas collections. The
film, made in Rs.90 crore, is likely to gross four times the money
spent. In fact, the film's broadcasting rights were sold for Rs.48
crore, on the condition that the rate would be more if the box-office
collections in screens cross Rs.100 crore.

As of Monday, five days after the release
of the film and one day paid-preview
screening, the box office collections of
"Cehnnai Express" totaled Rs.100.42 crore, accroding to trade analyst
Taran Adarsh.

In comparison, 'Ek Tha Tiger', released in more than 3,500 on Indian
Independence Day in 2012, went on to create records challenging the
then successful film '3 Idiots' of Aamir Khan.

But '3 Idiots' made with Rs.35 crore
earned ten times the money. It was not
released in 3500 screens but merely in
1600 but made a box office collection of
Rs.385 crore ($65 million).

While 'Ek Tha Tiger' tried to challenge '3
Idiots' success, it just missed the record,
including national awards. What 'Chennai
Express' will achieve in the next one week
will decide whether the SRK show will
overlap Aamir Khan's style.