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Hum Saath... Rakes In $ 1.6 Million Abroad

Aseem Chhabra in New York

Rajshri Productions's family musical Hum Saath Saath Hain continues to draw crowds across North America and England. In the first 10 days of its release, the film grossed over $ 1.2 million on the 59 screens in North America.

Hollywood trade publication Daily Variety ranked Hum Saath at number 22 in its listing of the top 60 movies showing in North America over the weekend of November 12 to 14.

In the United Kingdom, the film is doing even better, positioned at number 10 for the second weekend in a row. The film's second weekend gross box office receipts were $ 154,000. In the first 10-day run, Hum Saath... has made $ 431,250. By next weekend, the movie has a fair chance of hitting the $ 2 million mark abroad.

"This film has legs," said Behram Shahparast, a spokesperson for the film's North American distributor, Eros Entertainment.

Last weekend the film had the biggest opening for any Bollywood film in North America, with a gross revenue of approximately $ 652,000.

This week Hum Saath... became the first Bollywood movie to be listed in Entertainment Weekly, the popular Time Inc-owned publication. In the latest issue of November 19 the film is listed among the top 20 films of the last weekend (November 5 to 7). The Entertainment Weekly listing, like that in the Daily Variety, is tallied by AC Nielsen EDI, Inc.

Directed by Sooraj R Barjatya (of Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun fame), Hum Saath... stars some top Bollywood actors like Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Sonali Bendre.

The second weekend's box office had declined by moderate 36 per cent in the United States. Hum Saath... which did exceptionally well in its first week, grossing $ 834,000, ended nearly one-month long box-office famine during which films such as Mast, Hello Brother and Vaastav did disappointing business.

As a reference point, this summer's huge hit, Subhash Ghai's Taal, had grossed $ 1.1 million in first 10 days of release in North America. In the first week Taal managed to garner $ 800,000.

This Friday (November 18) Eros has a new film on its agenda -- Sunny Deol's Dillagi. Deol also stars in the movie with his younger brother Bobby and Urmila Matondkar. Shahparast said Eros planned to release Dillagion approximately 35 screens. He added that Eros has high expectations from Dillagi since the film is arriving with a good word of mouth.

To coincide with the film's release, next week Eros will also issue a new DVD, Deol Dhamaka. The DVD contains hit songs from the films of the Deol brothers and their father -- yesteryear actor Dharmendra. In addition, the DVD will also carry scenes from the making of Dillagi.

The release of Dillagi however, will not take away Eros's primary focus, pushing Hum Saath... to its maximum box office potential. Shahparast said next week the film should continue running on 59 screens. Eros now plans to release it in several other cities, including Rochester, NY and Minneapolis, MN.

EARLIER REPORT:
Desi Directors Make History In 3 Continents
Barjatya Family Gets Record Wedding Gift
Hum Saath-Saath Hain Gets 60-Screen Welcome

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