MUMBAI: Last week’s releases: R.S Entertainment’s ‘Nautanki Saala’ directed by Rohan Sippy, starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Pooja Salvi, Kunaal Roy Kapur and Evelyn Sharma; and Vipul Shah’s ‘Commando’ directed by Dilip Ghosh featuring Vidyut Jamwal, Pooja Chopra and Jaideep Ahlawat, have finished the first week race, at nearly the same point.

By the end of week one, ‘Nautanki Saala’ has garnered a decent collections of Rs 165 million (16.5 crore) net, while ‘Commando’ has fared marginally better, at approximate collections of Rs 175 million (17.5 crore) net.

The Vidyut Jamwal starrer ‘Commando’ has done better business in single screen theatres, emerging with a better distributor share than Rohan Sippy’s ‘Nautanki Saala’.

As reported, both medium budget films had taken an average to fair opening at the box office, with action flick ‘Commando’ doing slightly better than the comedy ‘Nautanki Saala’ due to its mass appeal.

On Day 1, ‘Nautanki Saala’ opened to approximate collections of Rs 32. 5 million (Rs 3.25 crore) net. Conversely, ‘Commando’ found more takers in the massy circuits and single screens, with a good performance in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with opening day collections of Rs 37.7 million (Rs 3.77 crore) net.

What remains to be seen is whether both films can sustain competition from this week’s Hollywood releases, and the Bollywood supernatural thriller ‘Ek Thi Daayan’ starring Emraan Hashmi.