One of the unexpected developments at the box office this Friday has been the encouraging start of Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past. The film has opened with occupancy levels hovering around 10 percent nationwide, while several smaller centers across the Hindi-speaking belt are reporting a much stronger response, with occupancy ranging between 30 and 50 percent.
Interestingly, the horror film has managed to outpace the week’s primary release, Main Vaapas Aaunga, despite being mounted on a significantly smaller budget.
Expectations for Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past were minimal due to its modest production scale and B-movie aesthetics. However, the film first caught attention with better-than-expected advance bookings and has now translated that interest into a respectable opening-day performance.
The original Haunted 3D, released in 2011, was a successful venture at the box office. Its director also has a proven track record in the low-budget horror genre, having delivered successful titles including major hits such as Raaz. Over the last few years, however, audience interest in this style of horror appeared to have faded, leading many to believe the genre had lost its commercial appeal. The film’s opening suggests there may still be a market for such content.
Whether the film can maintain momentum over the coming days remains uncertain, but its initial performance offers some optimism during what has otherwise been a sluggish period for cinemas since the release of Bhooth Bangla in April.
Another release this week, Governor, has also exceeded trade expectations with a stronger-than-anticipated opening. In contrast, Main Vaapas Aaunga has failed to generate the desired initial response and will now rely heavily on positive audience feedback and word of mouth to improve its prospects over the weekend.
Meanwhile, two Hollywood titles, Disclosure Day and Backrooms, are expected to post healthy weekend numbers. Existing release Obsession continues its impressive run and remains firmly on track to finish with a box-office total exceeding Rs. 100 crore.
