MUMBAI: Aamir Khan’s directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, being distributed by UTV Motion Pictures in the overseas market, has recorded grand collections worldwide. TZP collected more than $ 1.45 million alone in the US and Middle East at the end of second weekend, giving the film a bigger opening than Chak De! India in the US market.

In the Gulf, TZP collections crossed $ 600,000 on just 25 prints at the end of the second week and the film’s collections have held strong over the weekdays as well. In the USA the film has raked in USD 850,000 opening with 71 prints on 66 screens in week one and has now expanded to 69 screens on 74 prints in week two.

The word of mouth is extremely strong on this film, which has sustained it during the weekday showings. There have also been reports of standing ovation for the film all across North America.

“Looking at the response of the film we are certain that it will be one of the top four Hindi films from India in the US,” says UTV Motion Picture EVP marketing, syndicate and distribution Siddharth Roy Kapur.

“Every once in a while you are taken aback by a movie. It is a rare experience, especially coming from Bollywood,” says owner of FunAsia, a multiplex chain with 27 screens across four cities in the US, Shariq Hamid.

“The movie is one of the best ones to come out of the Bollywood factory,” he says.