Vivek Agnihotri’s latest film The Kashmir Files has set the cash registers ringing as the film has raked in Rs 42.20 crore till Monday. As per film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the film raked in Rs 3.55 crore on the opening day (Friday); Rs 8.50 crore on Saturday; Rs 15.10 crore on Sunday and Rs 15.05 crore.
“While *most films* crash/fall on the crucial Monday, The Kashmir Files is on a RECORD SMASHING SPREE… Monday is similar to Sunday… TKF is a SMASH-HIT… On course to be a BLOCKBUSTER… Friday RS 3.55 crore, Saturday Rs 8.50 crore, Sunday Rs 15.10 crore, Monday Rs 15.05 crore. Total: Rs 42.40 crore,” Adarsh tweeted.
Adarsh also said in another tweet that the Anupam Kher-starrer has overtaken movies like Akshay Kumar-starrer action flick Sooryavanshi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directorial Gangubai Kathiawadi and Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone-starrer 83 in terms of day 4 box office collections. He added that the film is among the top 4 scorers in the post-pandemic times.
While The Kashmir Files raked in Rs 15.05 crore on Monday, Sooryavanshi collected Rs 14.51 crore, Gangubai Kathiawadi raked in Rs 8.19 crore and 83 raked in Rs 7.29 crore day 4 of their releases. He added that top scorers right before the pandemic were Uri and Tanhaji with Rs 10.51 crore and Rs 13.75 crore respectively on the fourth day of their releases.
While The Kashmir Files has managed to make a dent in the domestic box office, the film has also been declared tax-free in states like Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. These states have joined the likes of Tripura, Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana.
Uttar Pradesh state BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh tweeted, “Many thanks to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji for making the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ tax free in Uttar Pradesh.”
Uttarakhand’s acting CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said that he has directed the state Chief Secretary to take necessary action to make The Kashmir Files tax-free in the state. Dhami also shared his experience after watching the film in Dehradun.
Dhami tweeted, “Today, I got the opportunity to watch the film ‘The Kashmir Files’ on the atrocities on Kashmiri Hindus, directed by Shri Vivek Agnihotri ji at the cinema hall in Dehradun. This film, which brings alive the culmination of the atrocities committed on the common man, makes the new generation aware of history.”
While states made the film tax-free, a Congress versus BJP battle ensued in Chhattisgarh. BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal said that the film is being screened at 3 theatres in the state with owners being threatened to take the film down. He also went on and asked whether the state government is anti-national or pro-nation.
Congress leader Sushil Anand Shukla replied to these allegations and said, “Chhattigarh BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal is lying and there are no restrictions of any kind imposed on the movie by our government. The movie is running in the theatres and the people are free to watch it at their will.”
He added, “In fact, we want people to go and watch the movie and understand that the situation arose in the country when VP Singh was PM and BJP was in support of him. J&K Governor was BJP leader and state was under the President’s rule which means the BJP was indirectly ruling the state.”
About The Kashmir Files
Directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, ‘The Kashmir Files’ depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during the Kashmir insurgency in 1990s. The film has been produced by Tej Narayan Agarwal, Abhishek Agarwal, Pallavi Joshi and Vivek Agnihotri under the Zee Studios, IAmBuddha and Abhishek Agarwal Arts banners.
The film features Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumar, Atul Srivastava, Puneet Issar, Mrinal Kulkarni and Prakash Belawadi in significant roles.
Also read: 'The Kashmir Files' box office Day 3: Anupam Kher-starrer registers 325% growth
Also read: Karnataka becomes 4th state to make Anupam Kher’s ‘The Kashmir Files’ tax free
Also read: 'The Kashmir Files' movie gets tax-free status in Goa, Tripura