B.O. update:- 'Ghajini' has unprecedented start, collects Rs. 10cr. to Rs. 12 cr.

The keenly-anticipated GHAJINI fetched the biggest start ever, shattering the record held by SINGH IS KINNG and GOLMAAL RETURNS, the two big openers of 2008. The paid previews were packed to capacity on Wednesday night and the film ran to almost 100% response throughout the country on Thursday.

Studio 18, the distributors of the film, were in for a pleasant surprise. Having released two of the biggest openers this year -- SINGH IS KINNG and GOLMAAL RETURNS -- and also one of the biggest openers of 2007 [WELCOME], they couldn't believe their eyes when they saw the figures pouring in from all over. Exhibitors across the country were going into raptures, stressing on the cent per cent occupancy on Wednesday night [paid previews] and also Thursday [Christmas].

This writer was in constant touch with several exhibitors, who couldn't hide their excitement. The common feedback is, the crowd was uncontrollable, that the crowd inside and outside their theatres was the same, that the film was packed in advance for the entire weekend.

Talking of numbers, the film collected approx. Rs. 2 cr. + in paid previews [a record], while the Thursday numbers were approx. Rs. 9 cr. According to early indications, the film collected between Rs. 10 cr. to Rs. 12 cr. nett, as per Studio 18. It's a new record, it's creating history!

Ghajini to be screened with English subtitles at BIG Cinemas

BIG Cinemas will be screening Ghajini with subtitles at select screens in Mumbai. The facility will make the film more accessible to hearing-impaired and non-Hindi speaking guests of the cinema. The film will be screened with English subtitles in its second week at digital screens in BIG Cinemas Wadala and Metro BIG Cinemas in Mumbai.

Tushar Dhingra, Chief Operating Officer - BIG Cinemas said, "This will ensure that the cinema medium can be enjoyed more completely by a larger number of the public, especially the hearing impaired who could not earlier understand the dialogues. The release of Ghajini, being an eagerly awaited film, was an ideal way for us to start offering this facility and will set a trend for future releases."

Patrick von Sychowski, Chief Operating Officer - Adlabs Digital Cinema added, "Digital cinema technology makes it easy to introduce such innovations. We look forward to introducing more such innovations for the benefit of the audience."

Mr. N.U. Nayak, Deputy Director - Helen Keller Institute for Deaf & Deafblind, welcomed the development saying, "Screening films with subtitles will definitely help hearing impaired persons to understand and enjoy films without misinterpretation."

This facility is available at no extra cost.

"I'm going to be fine tomorrow; the holiday with Kareena is on"

Saif Ali Khan gave all his family and friends a scare when he was hospitalized on Christmas Eve. But today (December 26), he is well on his way to recovery.

Speaking from his hospital bed at Mumbai's Lilavati hospital, Saif said, "I've almost recovered now. I'm going home tomorrow (Dec 27). It was nothing, really. I returned from Philadelphia from the shooting of Rensil D'Silva's film on 23rd night. And since I was missing all the Mumbai ka khana, I gorged indiscriminately on local junk food- Sev puri, bhelpuri, paani puri...puri ki puri fauj went into my stomach."

So wasn't he frightened when his stomach started acting up on him? "Not at all. It was gastroenteritis. Yes, I've been in hospital twice in the recent past. Once it was just appendicitis. And the other time it was far more serious. After going through what I did the last time I'm hardly going to get scared by a little stomach infection."

Chuckles Saif, "Actually it's much less scary than it looks. I've got a drip coming out of my hand, so that makes it look kind of serious. But it's nothing. I'm fine. Just a little sleepy. In fact, Kareena and I are going on our holiday to the mountains as planned."