MUMBAI: Fox Star Studios’ ‘Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola’ directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and starring Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma and Pankaj Kapur has failed to pick up in numbers over its first week. It is a disappointing week one total for a Vishal Bhardwaj film, starring big Bollywood stars.

As we had reported, the Day 1 business was a dismal Rs 70 million (7 crore) net. The film didn’t pick up the pace even on the first weekend, with the 3 day total being a poor Rs 220 million (22 crore) net. The highest response was seen from the circles of Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan.

On Monday, as we had reported, even the national holiday of Sankranti couldn’t salvage the situation. The film managed a meek Rs 40 million (4 crore) net on the festive day of Pongal/ Sankranti, with a lion’s share of the day’s business coming from the same areas: Delhi and Rajasthan, and also surprisingly from Mysore.

On Tuesday, the figure plummeted to a further low of Rs 250 million (2.5 crore) net. The situation looked even grimmer on Wednesday, with a drop in collections at Rs 225 million (2.25 crore) net. On Thursday, the film fell to a further trough at a poor figure in the range of Rs 175 million (1.75 core) net.

The film’s future looks bleak. Moreover, next week multi-starrer in the form of ‘Race 2’, another much-anticipated film which stars Bollywood biggies like Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Anil Kapoor and Deepika Padukone is all set to hit the screens. We predict this release will negatively impact the collections of ‘Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola’.