Love Aaj Kal stormed the North American and UK box office making a cool $2 million last weekend.

It became the first Bollywood super hit of the year. With the $1.2 million opening in North America, the romantic comedy is on its way to becoming the biggest hit for Saif Ali Khan

Exhibitors in the US say they are amazed that a film with Saif could be a huge draw. The initial prediction was for a $1 million run (total) in North America. But as the film’s release approached, the buzz kept growing.

The music (Pritam) also caught on. Many theatres have reported repeat business. It is a big movie for desi date crowds, exhibitors say.

With Luck doing dismal business because of bad mouth of word, audiences were waiting for a light-hearted film that could tug the heartstrings, they add.
“People are not in a mood to see a film just because it is glossy and slick,” said one distributor. “Even young audiences are old-fashioned. They want to see a romantic film that has emotional weight.”

Love Aaj Kal, directed by Imitaz Ali, was released by Eros on 106 screens in North America, a record for a Saif film. It is the third film for the director whose Jab We Met was a big hit two years ago. His first Socha Na Tha received good reviews but did not fire up the box office.

The new film is poised to make more money in the lucrative American and British territories than the much-hyped Kambakkht Ishq , which at its $12 million (estimated) budget was a far more expensive film. The Akshay Kumar film ended its run in the two territories with a good but not extraordinary $2.7 million.

Love Aaj Kal released across 1800 plus screens worldwide on 31st July 2009 with one of the highest number of daily shows across multiplexes. Love Aaj Kal has done exceedingly well in multiplex cinemas as compared to single screens whereas in the case of Kambakkht Ishq it was the single screens that brought in more audiences after the initial opening. As a feel good romance with some spectacular music, Love Aaj Kal has done exceedingly well overseas comparable or higher than some of the biggest blockbuster of recent times.
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