This Eid had us all asking: which movies shall we watch?

We were spoiled for choice as two local films, Mahira Khan-Humayun Saeed starrer Bin Roye and Yasir Nawaz’s directorial debut, Wrong Number were set to air alongside Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

While some opted to watch one or the other, a fair number of people made the most of the long weekend and saw all three. However, only details about how each film fared at the box office will present a clear picture of how popular they were!

While Bajrangi was able to go past Bin Roye and Wrong Number, it won’t be wrong to say that the two films are competitive enough to stay in the race.

And it goes like this: first Bajrangi, then Bin Roye and then Wrong Number

According to Nadeem Mandviwala, Bajrangi led the way, collecting Rs3.2 million to date, with Bin Roye raking in about Rs2.8 million and Wrong Number making Rs2.7m in Mandviwala-owned cinemas in Karachi and Islamabad.

According to Capri Cinema’s director, the two films screened have collected approximately Rs4 million with Rs2.5 million shared by Bajrangi and Rs1.5 million by Bin Roye.

Jerjees Seja, CEO of ARY Digital Network, stated that Wrong Number has gathered more than Rs3.4million.

Bin Roye, the directorial debut of Momina Duraid and Shehzad Kashmiri, was a highly awaited drama-romance. Released worldwide with the star presence of Mahira Khan, who has been roped in alongside Shahrukh Khan in Raees, the film is bound to do well.

Although there were rumours about Bajrangi’s release in Pakistan, the film centred on the theme of Indo-Pak friendship is drawing large audiences who are coming to see Salman Khan in a role of a brotherly figure. The film has made INR151 crore in India within five days of its release.

We need more cinemas to make room for upcoming films: Nadeem Mandviwalla

Speaking about local films releasing together and competing against other films, Nadeem Mandviwala of Mandviwala Films stated that Pakistani films always have an edge over Bollywood ones:

"Pakistani films will always have an advantage over any Indian film because of the fact that they are playing on their homeground and are hugely supported and promoted by the media and local audience. And they also have a distinction of being available on DVD and cable TV."

He also added that simultaneous releases like in the case of Bin Roye and Wrong Number on Eid has both pros and cons:

"Being Eid, the business all over the country has been extraordinary and thus every films has been able to do its due business. However too many films being released on Eid has left the exhibitors to divide shows among the films as per demand hence limiting any one film to do huge collection at the box office. In the future, we will need to live with the fact that there will be other releases and each film will have to become feasible within the available parameters."

Stressing on the need to build more cinemas, he said: "It gives us an indication that we still need more cinemas/screens in the country and process of building new cinemas has to flourish quickly."

Hollywood films like Minions, Terminator: Genysis and Ant-Man were unable to outdo the likes of local films this time.

Bin Roye, Wrong Number and Bajrangi Bhaijaan are still playing so their numbers can only go up!

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