Lee Cronin's horror film, The Mummy, has been performing steadily at the Indian box office, raking in around Rs. 1.75 crore on its second Friday. This marks a slight 12 percent drop from its debut day earnings last week. Over the course of its first eight days, the film has accumulated approximately Rs. 18.75 crore (around USD 2 million). Forecasts for the upcoming weekend suggest it could earn an additional Rs. 8 crore, potentially elevating its total to about Rs. 25 crore by Sunday. Analysts predict that the film might ultimately reach a total of Rs. 35-40 crore, which would be impressive for a film with a modest budget.
A significant factor in the film's success is its reception in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu, which has become a key market. Recently, Tamil Nadu contributed over 40 percent of the film's earnings, a substantial increase from the 20-25 percent share during its opening weekend. This trend has been on the rise throughout the week, with Tamil Nadu now accounting for nearly half of the film's total collections across India. Typically, Tamil Nadu contributes around 10 percent to Hollywood films, with major markets like Mumbai, Delhi-UP, and Mysore leading. However, in this instance, both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are leading the charge, with the Tamil and Telugu dubbed versions surpassing the English and Hindi versions nationwide.
The Mummy franchise has a successful history in India, with the original film from 1999 grossing approximately Rs. 20 crore, followed by sequels that earned Rs. 27 crore in 2001 and Rs. 48 crore in 2008. When adjusted for inflation, these totals exceed Rs. 200 crore today. Although this latest installment is not a direct sequel, its recognizable title likely aided in attracting audiences initially. If the current trend persists, it could emerge as a hit, marking the second Hollywood success story in India this year.
The box office performance of The Mummy in India is as follows: it earned Rs. 2.00 crore on its opening Friday, followed by Rs. 3.00 crore on Saturday, and Rs. 4.00 crore on Sunday. The earnings continued with Rs. 1.95 crore on Monday, Rs. 2.35 crore on Tuesday, Rs. 2.10 crore on Wednesday, and Rs. 1.60 crore on Thursday, culminating in Rs. 1.75 crore on its second Friday. The total gross now stands at Rs. 18.75 crore.
As the film continues its theatrical run, industry analysts will be keenly observing its performance, especially in light of the changing preferences of Indian audiences towards horror films. The strong performance in South India may indicate a shift in market dynamics for Hollywood releases, highlighting the increasing popularity of genre films in regional markets.
