Entertainment

Raveena Tandon Comeback ‘Maatr’ Opens To Poor Earnings

Raveena Tandon Comeback ‘Maatr’ Opens To Poor Earnings

Revenge drama Maatr, starring comeback actress Raveena Tandon, got an occupancy of a low 5 percent and reportedly picked up just 0.20 crores on its first day. A niche release, Maatr was released only on about 500 screens across the country.

Back for the first time on the silver screen after her much-lauded but brief appearance in Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet, Raveena Tandon shines in a shoddy portrayal of a very familiar rape-revenge plot. Directed by Ashtar Sayed and produced by Micheal Pellico under the banner CDB Musical, the film plays it strictly by the numbers: the heinous crime (involving the gang rape of a mother and daughter), the aftermath (involving unhelpful officers of the law) , the wounded woman picking up the cudgels and going after the perpetrators herself. The roll-out is as formulaic as they come but critics feel a film like this needs to be deeply sensitive and alert to lift the sordidness of the material. It is not a wonder then that this was reflected on its box-office performance, with the movie finding little takers in the morning shows, although occupancy seemed to pick up later in the evening.

Earlier, its graphic scenes had prompted much controversy with the censor board, and it was only post voluntary cuts by the production that it was passed days before its slated release.

Even though the movie did not do well with the critics or the public, Raveena Tandon’s portrayal of the mother seeking vengeance has come for a lot of praise. A combination of tough and tender, Raveena shines all the way. Her character doesn’t talk much or let on the frenzy of her heavily burdened mind. In a performance marked by maturity and dignity, the actress conveys the dark, brooding and internal process of recovering from grief and finding closure. It’s obvious she feels strongly about Maatr’s theme and her sturdy ambition is the only thing that holds your interest even when the film does not.

Earnings are expected to pick up over the weekend, as the makers would hope that the star power of Raveena would draw interest. A low budget film, analysts expect it to recover close to three-fourths of its budget before the weekend is over.
Meanwhile, the Sonakshi Sinha-starrer Noor was also released on Friday to poor reviews and relatively low attendance. Maatr will have to fight for space with Noor, as well the eight installation of the Fast and Furious franchise. The Fate of the Furious, which seems to be holding quite some sway over the Indian audience.

About the author

Shruti Bhatt

Shruti Bhatt is an engineering graduate, consumed with her passions day in and day out. An avid moviemaniac, a foodie, a bibliophile, and coffee-fashion-music enthusiast, Ms. Bhatt is on the way of becoming a raconteur - the word she is most fascinated with.