'Deadpool' hits the right note at Indian box office

Ryan Reynolds-starrer "Deadpool" with its action, blood and twisted sense of humour seems to be treading the right path in India with a collection of over Rs.14 crore in its opening week.

The film, which released on February 12 in time for Valentine's Day, has minted a total of Rs.14.25 crore (Friday Rs.4.1 crore, Saturday Rs.4.9 crore, Sunday Rs.5.25 crore). Over the weekend, the film recorded an average occupancy of 70 percent, said a statement.

Based on Marvel Comics' most unconventional anti-hero, "Deadpool" tells the story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humour, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

Shikha Kapur, chief marketing officer of Fox Star Studios, which marketed and distributed the Hollywood film in India, credits the success in India to innovative marketing activities, which generated awareness about the film.

"The marketing activities that were planned around the film was focused, strategic and concentrated towards the target audience .The biggest challenge was to promote this foul-mouthed Marvel character who was relatively unknown in India.

"Throughout the campaign we were consistent with the key messaging which was the wit and sarcasm of 'Deadpool' that reflected in all our communication, be it digital media, publicity or above and below the line campaigns. All the efforts were handsomely rewarded when the film opened to a higher number and much higher occupancy than the Bollywood counterparts that released in the same week," Kapur said.

"Deadpool" was released along with Hindi films "Fitoor", which stars Katrina Kaif and Aditya Roy Kapur, and "Sanam Re", which features Yami Gautam and Pulkit Samrat.

Internationally also "Deadpool" is on a roll. It has raked in almost $135 million in its first three days in theatres in the US, reports variety.com.