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Om Puri Movie Garners Praise In The UK

Arthur J Pais in New York

With nearly $ 2 million grossed in just 10 days, East Is East, a bittersweet comedy about the immigrant experience in England and generational conflict, is on its way to become one of the solid hits of the season.

Toplining Om Puri as George Khan, a Pakistani immigrant who is ever concerned about the impending war between India and Pakistan but is oblivious to the war going on in his own family, the film is expected to gross at least $ 6 million in England. It is being shown in 80 movie houses in the past two weeks; it is expected to add a few more theaters with each passing week.

It opens in North America in February through Miramax Pictures.

The movie, which cost about $ 4 million, is based on Ayub Khan Din's autobiographical play that was a smash hit in England a few years ago. The American version of the play, which also featured Rahul Khanna, had a modest run in New York several months ago.

Meanwhile, Manoj Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense, which crossed the $ 100 million mark abroad last weekend is at the top position in Australia, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom.

"Just as in the United States, people seem not getting enough of this film," says Ric Ornellas, former cultural editor of The Washington Square News,, who studies the world movie market.

"The first time they see it and are stunned by its ending, they rush back to see it again and make sense of its intriguing plot. This ghost has real legs."

In the United States, the movie has grossed about $ 269 million, and has remained among the 10 highest grossers for 15 weeks.

With about $ 3.5 million grossed last week, it could end its highly profitable run with $ 285 million in America in about four weeks. The Sixth Sense was made for $ 40 million, a modest budget compared to most Hollywood movies. If it garners a handful of Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, it could be re-released in January and reach the $ 300 million mark, making it among the top five all-time hits in America. The list is led by the $ 620 million grossed by Titanic.

The Sixth Sense has grossed over $ 26 million in three weeks in Japan, and about $ 5 million in Italy in 10 days, after having opened in about 100 theaters in the first week and adding 150 more theaters in the second.

In England, after opening on 9 screens, The Sixth Sense is now casting spell on 430 screens. In 10 days, it has grossed about $ 8,441,184. Exhibitors believe it has the potential of grabbing at least $ 40 million.

Both East Is East and The Sixth Sense will be contenders for the Golden Globe nominations. The Globes are given out by foreign journalists in Hollywood.

Since the Globes are given in two categories, Comedy/Musical and Drama, both films could walk away with a handful of nominations.

Since both films would be just a few weeks old in most of Europe when the Globe nominations come out early next year, they are certain to gain at the box-office.

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