Ahead of Gangubai Kathiawadi’s release, Alia Bhatt knew she would gauge the film’s success by the love and praise it would receive from the audience. Box-office collections were secondary. But the exhibition sector, which had bled since March 2020, saw the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film as a means of revival. Thankfully, the movie has delivered on both counts, earning acclaim as well as a strong opening weekend total. After amassing Rs 10.50 crore on Friday and Rs 13.32 crore on Saturday, Gangubai Kathiawadi collected Rs 15.3 crore on the third day, taking the first weekend tally to a solid Rs 39.12 crore. The Bhatt-starrer has become the first female-fronted movie after the pandemic to score big at the box office.

Does this bring cheer among filmmakers and exhibitors? It’s an emphatic yes from trade analyst Taran Adarsh. “The film has brought back confidence and hope for filmmakers. It’s a good sign as people are ready to go to theatres to watch quality content. Given Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s scale of films, this was expected, but we weren’t sure in what numbers people would step out.” Adarsh adds that the movie is likely to maintain its momentum over the next few days. “It’s Maha Shivratri on Tuesday, so we are expecting more footfall.”