Controversy-ridden 'The Kerala Story' on verge of joining Rs 100 crore club

Released in theatres on May 5, the film continues to get footfall at movie theatres as it saw an occupancy of 25.77% in the Hindi-speaking market

'The Kerala Story' is all set to become one of the biggest hits of the year as it nears the Rs 100 crore mark at a consistent pace. The film’s collection has been “phenomenal” and also an “eye-opener”, trade analyst Taran Adarsh said.

Set in Kerala, the film which claims to tell the story of Hindu and Christian women who were allegedly lured into joining the Islamic State (IS) group, has been mired in controversies for the last few weeks.

After earning Rs 8.03 crore on its first day in the theatres, The Kerala Story picked up business in its first weekend, taking in Rs 11.22 crore on Saturday followed by Rs 16.40 crore on Sunday, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. On Monday, it registered a total of Rs 10.07 crore, with Rs 11.14 coming on Tuesday and Rs 12 crore on Wednesday. It recorded an earning of Rs 12.50 crore on its eighth day, the same as the seventh day.

This brings the film’s total collection at the box office to Rs 98 crore. The film could take another day to reach Rs 100 crore.

Released in theatres on May 5, the film continues to get footfall at movie theatres as it saw an occupancy of 25.77 per cent in the Hindi-speaking market.

No major releases are scheduled for the coming weeks, which gives The Kerala Story ample room to grow further.

The film found itself in the eye of the storm after its teaser claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala had gone missing and joined theterrorist group ISIS.

After several protests, the makers of 'The Kerala Story' had to alter their claim in the YouTube trailer of the film.

The producers of the film received a huge backlash for alleged propaganda against Kerala and the Muslim community. However, the film’s box-office collection has continued to grow despite the controversies.