Shaitaan scored a superb first day as it collected 15 crore nett apprx edging past the numbers of Drishyam 2 and becoming the fourth highest opening day for Ajay Devgn after Singham Returns, Golmaal Again and Total Dhamaal. These are three are franchise films while Shaitaan is not which and brand value does make a difference.

Drishyam 2 had opened with a similar total but here Shaitaan has done a same number with a help of a holiday. Fair value for Shaitaan will probably be around 10 crore or maybe 11 crore nett if we take out the holiday which itself would have been a good number. The real value of the opening day will be known after the results on Saturday. The growth will be minimal but hopefully the film can edge up on Saturday.

The heartening thing about the film is the circuit ratios are normal and its not as if there is a bulk of business coming from metros or South which has been the case with many films. The film has beaten the numbers of Fighter in some mass circuits and is the biggest opener of the year in these circuits. It was a holiday so that has helped but eventually if these circuits do more than Fighter in the long run that will be more than enough for Shaitaan as this is not what you call a mass film either. It again illustrates if you can just penetrate well into the multiplexes outside the metros the numbers can come. 

Shaitaan will now have to show solid growth on Sunday and it will be on its way. Drishyam 2 did a 62 crore nett weeknd which cannot happen here but if the film can get a 45-50 crore nett weekend that will be a solid result and good Sunday growth will mena holds from Monday onward.