“ANIMAL” Unleashed: Bollywood Blockbuster Conquers Australian and Global Box Office
Captivating audiences across borders, ANIMAL, a Hindi language film from India, has dominated Australian and international box office charts since launching globally on December 1.
In Australia alone, ANIMAL has raked in 4.27 million to date across 112 screens – and with a per screen average of $9.8K following its second weekend of trading, is yet to relinquish its place as one of the top five local releases.
Although domestically, the most eagerly anticipated film of the year – in India it launched on 4,000 screens – ANIMAL remained an enigma beyond its core audience, prior to its sudden and very impressive cinematic debut.
With sparse traditional publicity outside of its home country, and no reliance on massive marketing budgets to propel it into the stratosphere, this visceral drama has accumulated over 102 million AUD world-wide for its first week of trading.
Directed by Sydney trained Sandeep Reddy Vanga, regarded as India’s ‘hottest’ director, ANIMAL has stirred controversy for its exploration of toxic masculinity, a theme previously examined in Vanga’s first film, KABIR SINGH, one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of all time. Running at an almost unprecedented 201 minutes, ANIMAL delves into the intricate dynamics of the relationship between Vijay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor) and his emotionally distant father, Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor), culminating in a riveting portrayal of rabid transformation and uncontrollable violence.
ANIMAL is the latest triumph from Forum Films, a powerhouse in distributing Bollywood and Punjabi (Pollywood) movies in ANZ, Fiji Islands, and PNG for over 25 years, with recent expansions into the USA and Canada. Forum Films, a member of the Australia India Film Council, has consistently delivered remarkable box office results and is now poised to invest in, and distribute ANZ stories related to India.
Forum Films CEO Pritesh Raniga on the success of ANIMAL:
“The box office results we’ve enjoyed in Australia means we are now placed to distribute and invest in ANZ stories related to India. As a consequence, we have recently invested in the development and production of several such Australian films, some of which have received monetary support from Screen Australia, Screen NSW, and others.”
Australia India Film Council’s Perspective:
Anupam Sharma, Chair of Australia India Film Council emphasises, “Success of distribution companies like Forum Films ensures Indian cinema is a strong part of Australian sub-culture, which I hope will lead to greater fostering of Australian talent of Indian origin and acceptance by major industry guilds.”
This vital synergy between the two countries was recently acknowledged via a co-production treaty that Australia ratified with India on November 20. Currently, over sixty million dollars worth of Australian screen content has a strong Indian connection, with all associated projects having received production or development investment from Federal and State film bodies. India has also announced major subsidies for international films, including Australian films to be shot in India.
About the Author
Adrian Gunning Adrian lives in Melbourne Australia and has a huge passion for gaming, technology and pop culture. He recently finished his a Bachelor of Journalism and is currently focusing on games journalism. When not writing and playing video games, Adrian can be found in Comics 'R' Us debating the pros of the DC Universe and cons of the Marvel Universe.
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