The festival bug bites the cinegoer yet again. And it is a bigger bite than ever. Bollywood’s Eid offering, the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Chennai Express, has grossed Rs 113 crore in a span of four days. This made it the fastest to reach the 100-crore club—increasingly becoming the industry benchmark. It also recorded the highest collections (Rs 6.75 crore) from paid previews surging ahead of 3 Idiots that had earned Rs 2.7 crore in 2009.
“Chennai Express has shattered previous records in international markets as well,” tweeted film trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
What really makes a film a speedy success? Impeccable marketing, a bankable star and the unstinting appetite of film buffs? Sure. But there are pure business reasons at play too.
(This story appears in the 06 September, 2013 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)