Indian Films Pop With ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ & ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ In Top Ten – Specialty Box Office

Vyjayanthi Movies

Two Indian films flexed at the domestic box office — and when they hit they really do hit, buoying exhibitors through good times and bad — with Kinds Of Kindness hitting no. 10 in a major expansion and Thelma not far behind.

Kalki 2898 AD, a Telugu sci-fi epic from Prathyangira Cinemas, is looking at an estimated $5.4 million on 1,049 screens for the three-day weekend, at no. 5. It’s also approaching a cume of $11 million including Wednesday previews and Thursday opening day, one of the best ever openings of an Indian film in North America. 

Written and directed by Nag Ashwin, Kalki is toplined by superstars Prabhas with Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan. As Deadline has reported, this is India’s most expensive film ever.

Jatt & Juliet 3, the latest instalment of the Punjabi romantic comedy franchise, from White Hill Studios, is at no. 9 with $1.8 million for the weekend at just 143 locations, and a $1.9 million cume, according to Comscore. Helmed by writer-director Jagdeep Sidhu, it stars Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa.

Kinds Of Kindness by Yorgos Lanthimos is looking at a $1.5 million weekend on 490 screens — up from and opening 5 — for a cume of $2 million for the Searchlight Pictures film starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, rounding out the top ten.

Josh Margolin’s Thelma from Magnolia Pictures had a nice hold in its second weekend after very strong grosses Monday-Thursday, reporting an estimated $1.32 million on 1,220 screens. That’s a cume of $5.1 million for the film starring June Squibb with Fred Hechinger, Parkey Posey and Richard Roundtree.

Sony Pictures Classics’ Daddio by Christy Hall starring Sean Penn and Dakota Fanning is eyeing A $440.3k opening weekend on 628 screens.

Sideshow/Janus Films’ release of Catherine Breillat’s Last Summer opened at three theaters this weekend, grossing an estimated $30.3k. It’s the first film in a decade from the fearless 75-year-old French auteur. Stars Léa Drucker, Olivier Rabourdin and Samuel Kircher. Expands to additional cities throughout July.

Jake Paltrow’s June Zero from Cohen Media Group saw $8.1k at one engagement at NYC’s Quad Cinema boosted by strong reviews and sold-out filmmaker Q&As. CMG said the Sunday number is tracking to be its highest gross of the weekend, indicating positive work of mouth. Opens in LA and the rest of the top 10 markets Friday, expanding to the top 50 on July 12.

Oscilloscope Labs’ Gothic horror fairy tale The Vourdalak by Adrien Beau made its debut at the IFC Center, grossing $8.1k, taking the top spot in complex with just three daily showtimes. “We expect word-of-mouth to be exceptionally strong as [the film] rolls out nationally. Like Rare Exports, Coherence and The Love Witch before it, we’re confident that The Vourdalak will quickly achieve cult status,” said the distributor. Expanding to all major markets through July and August. 

Holdover: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker’s touching coming of age story Janet Planet, starring Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler, expanded to 315 screens in week 2 for an estimated $187k and cume of $565k. Will continue to play in theaters throughout July.