The Hindu Business Line : <I>Chameli</I> opens to full houses

CHAMELI, produced by Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC), opened to full shows in some of the main theatres in Mumbai and Delhi during the weekend and the collections are estimated at Rs 1 crore. The overall cost of the film was about Rs 8- 9 crore.

The film, starring Kareena Kapoor and Rahul Bose, directed by Sudhir Mishra, also drew house full audiences at multiplexes such as Fame Adlabs and Fun Republic.

In Delhi, the film recorded 80 per cent collection in South Delhi theatres and multiplexes going full houses, PNC said in a release. Kolkata's Inox theatre showed an 85 per cent collection during the weekend and Bangalore reported 88 per cent collection in multiplex, 77 per cent at Rex and 79 per cent in Kailash. Altogether 151 prints of the movie were screened in 33 centres.

Venus acquired the overseas release of Chameli, while T-Series bought the music. The film opened simultaneously over the weekend in London, New York, Houston, Toronto, New Jersey, Mauritius, Kenya, Singapore. Star TV has acquired its worldwide satellite rights.

Chameli is the story of two strangers who meet on a stormy night in the arches of Flora Fountain, Mumbai. The film has Kareena Kapoor in the lead role of a woman of the night, along with Rahul Bose, Rinke Khanna, Yashpal Sharma and Makarand Deshpande. "The film had evoked huge curiosity amongst viewers even before its release, particularly after the death of its original director Anant Balani," the release said.