MUMBAI: Swinging his way to theatres on 588 prints/screens Spider-Man 3 has smashed every possible record in the Hollywood category in India. The film has opened to a record $148 million at the North American Box-office and Rs 191.7 million (Rs 19.17 cores) at the Indian Box-office, in the 4 – 6 May weekend. Thus out pacing the previous first weekend record holder, Casino Royale (Rs 14.94 crores) by 28.3 per cent.

At the Indian Box-office, Spider-Man 3 saw the biggest ever Hollywood release with a total of 588 prints – (English 162, Hindi 261, Tamil 78, Telugu 78, Bhojpuri 6 and IMAX 3). This not only ensured its ticket to witness the biggest Hollywood film opening weekend in India, but has also been the fastest to cross the Rs 100 million (Rs 10 crores) mark in just two days.

Spider-Man 3 saw the biggest opening weekend for a foreign language film in India by garnering a sum of 191.7 million. On its Friday (4 May) release itself, the film went on to become the biggest in single day collections for a foreign language film in India with Rs 66.4 million (Rs 6.64 crores).

The web at the box office continued to stay put over the weekend as it again set a record by garnering Rs 61.9 million (Rs 6.19 crores) on Saturday (5 May) and Rs 63.4 million (Rs 6.34 crores) on Sunday (6 May). Sony Pictures Releasing of India is anticipating Spider-Man 3 to be the biggest grosser of all times, for any foreign language film in India.

Commenting on the film’s success, Sony Pictures Releasing of India managing director Uday Singh says, “We’re off to a dream debut. The summer movie season could not have asked for a better way to begin. The team, worked hard to make this debut an incredible event. Backed by a strong marketing campaign, a first ever dub in Bhojpuri, synergy partnerships from the Sony Group Companies and our brand alliances, we took this franchise to a much wider audience base.”

The film is being distributed by Percept Picture Company (PPC) with a majority of 358 prints. The major chunk of the box office collections, Rs 115.5 million (Rs 11.55 crores) has been garnered from Percept’s territories. “It grossed Rs 35.5 million (Rs 3.55 crores) on Friday, Rs 39 million (rs 3.9 crores) on Saturday and Rs 45 million (Rs 4.5 crores) on Sunday,” informs Percept Picture Company’s director distribution and IPR management Ashok Ahuja.

(Inputs by Rohini Bhandari)