‘Bride and Prejudice’ takes top spot on British charts : Bollywood News : ApunKaChoice.Com


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‘Bride and Prejudice’ takes top spot on British charts
14th Oct 2004 22.35 IST
By ApunKaChoice Bureau

Despite being panned by critics and getting a lukewarm response at home, Gurinder Chadha ’s celluloid adaptation of Jane Austen novel into Punjabi setting is going balle balle at British charts in the opening week itself.

Starring Aishwarya Rai , Martin Hendersen , Namrata Shirodkar , Navin Andrews and Anupam Kher, Bride and Prejudice has evoked an overwhelming response in the United Kingdom and Ireland, topping the top ten charts in the opening week itself, trades sources said.

In its opening week in Britain, the film collected £ 1,667,616 on 376 screens [approx. Rs. 13.72 crores]. Further, it also notched up the highest per screen
average of £ 4,435 among the top ten.

In doing so, the film pipped major Hollywood ventures such as 'Saw', which had a per-screen average of £3,385, the romantic comedy 'Wimbledon', which had a per screen average of £1,888 and 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse', which had a per screen average of £2,830.

According to trade analysts, 'Bride's' performance was remarkable, considering its stars are largely unknown to Western audiences.

At the same time, analysts point out that the opening taken by 'Bride and Prejudice' as well as its per screen average are lower compared to 'Bend It Like Beckham', Gurinder Chadha's earlier film, which, while
topping British charts on the week of its release, collected £ 2,001,795 from 384 screens while its per-screen average worked out to £ 5,213.

'Bride' has fallen somewhat short of that. Industry observers attribute the excellent response to 'Bride and Prejudice in its opening week to Britain's
two-million strong Asian community.

However, as trade sources said, the film, in its opening week was patronised by huge crowds comprising both the British Asian community as well as the mainstream British population.

The film's excellent response comes even as it has opened in India to mixed reviews as well as Box office reports.