Christopher Nolan’s Tenet has opened to decent numbers in India despite the covid-19 situation. The film that is the first big tent-pole release in Indian cinemas made around Rs 1.1-1.2 crore in the country on its first day. Trade website Box Office India said the film has notched up the best response in metros such as Mumbai and Bengaluru and certain IMAX screenings even managed full capacity given that the government has only permitted 50 per cent occupancy in theatres, as of now.
To be sured, Tenet is the first green shoot for the ailing exhibition sector in India that remained shut for over seven months and still does not have major Bollywood films scheduled for release. Managing a screen count of around 750, John David Washington-starrer comes to India more than three months after its international release. However, the expectations are high and are clear from the fact that the film had sold around 25,000 tickets over last weekend when advance booking had started. Termed as the litmus test for film business in India, Tenet sets the stage for the other big Hollywood release later this month, Wonder Woman 1984, both of which are helping theatres stay afloat in these tough times. Also, Nolan has established a loyal fan base in India with films such as Dunkirk, Interstellar, The Dark Knight, Inception, and so on. His last release, Dunkirk had made Rs 20.26 crore in India when released in 2017. “We are extremely positive about Tenet. It should prove to be the litmus test to bring consumer confidence back and set the ball rolling for recovery of the film business,” said Pramod Arora, chief growth and strategy officer, PVR Ltd.