Dev D scores high at box office

Alternative cinema has finally arrived at the Indian box office. Else, how can commercially-different film like Dev D edge out films that promised great fortunes at the box office, films�like Billu, Raaz and Delhi-6? You guessed it right! Anurag Kashyap's Dev D, which was considered�an underdog by many, is making it big at the box office.

Dev D, which was considered just another film based on Saratchandra Chattopadhyay's novel 'Devdas', has struck gold at the box office by grossing a whopping Rs. 12 crores so far. The film is still running to packed houses and is expected to gross�more than Chandni Chowk To China's net budget of Rs.13 crores.

The film's collection history is quite interesting to analyze. Though Dev D created a lot of pre-release buzz with its Lustline, Dev D game and condom-packed invites, it made only Rs. 1.5 crores on the opening day. But word-of-mouth spread about the uniqueness of the film and collections jumped to Rs. 5.5 crores by the first weekend. The film's budget, a mere Rs. 6 crores (compared to Billu's Rs 10.22 crores and Luck By Chance's Rs. 8.79 crores), was recovered in a few weeks. The flick, at the moment, is riding at Rs. 12 crores.

Anurag Kashyap is a happy man indeed. Though his previous three films fell flat at the box office, Dev D, starring many new faces with Abhay Deol in the lead, has met with good reception at the box office. Hope he repeats this success in his forthcoming project Gulaal also. Good luck, Anurag!

(Figures from Bollywood Hungama).