The Eid movie season has brought both triumph and disappointment for Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan, as his film ‘Borbaad’ made a roaring start at the box office while 'Antoratta' struggled to find an adequate audience, resulting in its removal from Star Cineplex after just one day.
Directed by Mehedi Hasan Hridoy, ‘Borbaad’ has taken the lead among this year’s other major Eid releases – Afran Nisho starter 'Daagi', Siam Ahmed starrer 'Jongli', Mosharraf Karim starrer 'Chokkor 302', and Sajal-Nusraat Faria’s 'Jinn-3' – earning Tk 28.82 lakh alone on its opening day, according to the Facebook-based movie enthusiast page BMR – Bangla Movie Review.
The film premiered with 27 screenings across Star Cineplex, Lion Cinemas, and Grand Sylhet Movie Theatre. On the second day, demand surged, leading to a nearly 60% increase in showings, with 41 screenings held – 35 of which were houseful. By the end of the second day, its total multiplex earnings had climbed to approximately Tk 73.14 lakh, with Tk 44.31 lakh collected on the second day alone.
On Wednesday, the third day of Eid, Star Cineplex increased the number of screenings to 44, with 45 planned for Thursday across all of its branches nationwide.
Meanwhile, ‘Antoratta’, directed by Wajed Ali Sumon, failed to gain traction. The film, which was released across 21 theatres, including multiplexes and single screens, saw disappointing ticket sales, leading to its removal from Star Cineplex within a day.
Initially scheduled for two daily screenings at the Bashundhara City and Sony Square branches of Star Cineplex until April 3, the film was dropped a day early due to poor audience turnout.
Starring Shakib Khan alongside Kolkata actress Darshana Banik, ‘Antoratta’ had originally been slated for release in 2022 but faced delays. Its low-key promotional campaign, coupled with minimal involvement from the cast, contributed to its lacklustre performance.
Following its removal from Star Cineplex, the film had two screenings at Lion Cinemas on Tuesday and is still showing at Blockbusters Cinemas in Jamuna Future Park. However, its total multiplex earnings over two days amounted to just Tk 1.27 lakh.
The stark contrast in performance between ‘Borbaad’ and ‘Antoratta’ has sparked debates among Bangladeshi cinephiles, with discussions on social media reflecting the evolving tastes of Bangla moviegoers.