Pelli Choopulu
‘Pelli Choopulu’ US box office collection: Vijay-Ritu starrer grosses $0.94 million in 17 days. Pictiured: Pelli Choopulu stillTwitter

"Pelli Choopulu," which clashed with "Babu Bangaram," has made decent collection at the U.S. box office in its third weekend. The Vijay and Ritu-starrer has inched closer to gross $1 million.

"Pelli Choopulu" collected $465,726 in the first week and $347,316 in its second week at the U.S. box office, taking its 14-day U.S. total collection to $813,042. Trade experts from the film nagar predicted that new releases "Babu Bangaram," "Thikka," "Rustom" and "Mohenjo Daro" would slow down its collection and might allow it surpass $1 million mark in its third week.

As predicted, the Tharun Bhascker-directed romantic-comedy film showed a steep decline in its business on its third Friday. Three of the new releases received mixed talk from the audience, which paved way for the two-week-old movie to rock the U.S. box office again. "Pelli Choopulu" showed more than 200 percent growth on Saturday. Its collection dropped on Sunday, but it was double of its third Friday earnings.

Despite clashing with four big-ticket films, "Pelli Choopulu" has collected $130,261 from 45 screens at the U.S. box office in its third weekend and its 17-day U.S. gross total has reached $943,303 [Rs. 6.31 crore]. Leading Indian trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted: "Telugu film #Pellichoopulu is SENSATIONAL in USA... [Week 3] Fri $ 21,986, Sat $ 66,101, Sun $ 42,174. Total: $ 943,303 [₹ 6.31 cr] @Rentrak."

"Pelli Choopulu" needs to collect $56,697 to cross $1 million mark at the U.S. box office. The movie is expected to achieve these numbers on the weekdays and likely to achieve these much-needed numbers by the end of its third week. The movie is set to become the sixth $1 million mark grossing Telugu film in 2016, after "A...Aa," Brahmotsavam," "Sarainodu," "Sardaar Gabbar Singh" and "Nannaku Prematho."

Written by Tharun Bhascker, "Pelli Choopulu" deals with a routine romantic story, but the director's amazing screenplay has been a big factor in making it a huge success at the box office. It has turned out a surprise hit at the ticket counters across the U.S. The movie's performance has surprised many in the Telugu film industry.