Superstar Mahesh Babu's "Srimanthudu" has collected $2.82 million at the US box office in 17 days and is now fast heading towards the $3 million mark in the country.
After Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the US is considered as a potential market for Mahesh Babu's movies. In a bid to cash in on the Mahesh mania, the makers released "Srimanthudu" in over 157 screens in the country on 7 August and it is the biggest theatre count for a Prince's film.
"Srimanthudu" opened to an earth-shattering response in the country and did well on the following days. The movie collected $2,062,768 (Rs 13.17 crore) at the US box office in the first weekend. The film did well on weekdays by adding $249,880 to its seven-day total US collection -- $2,312,648.
In its second week, "Srimanthudu" clashed with Bollywood's "Brothers", but it did better business in lesser number of screens than the latter. The Mahesh Babu starrer once again topped the US business charts by collecting $342,010 from 102 screens in the second weekend, while "Brothers" landed in the second place with $266,175 from 164 cinema halls.
The Koratala Siva directorial performed well at the ticket counters on the weekdays. "Srimanthudu" raked in approximately $71,058 at the US box office, taking its 14-day total collection to $2,725,716.
In its third week, "Srimanthudu" clashed with Ravi Teja's much-awaited Telugu movie "Kick 2". The movie landed in the second place in its third weekend, while the latter topped the US business charts. The film has raked in $94,498 from 46 screens at the US box office, taking its 17-day total collection to $2,820,214 (Rs 18.80 crore).
"Srimanthudu" has shattered the lifetime records of all blockbuster Telugu movies in the country and become the second all time highest grosser after "Baahubali - the Beginning". Now, the movie is heading to become the second Tollywood movie to surpass the mark of $3 million at the US box office.
"Srimanthudu" needs $179,786 to cross the mark of $3 million at the US box office. Each week, the movie is witnessing a loss in the number of theatres, resulting in a steep decline in its collection.
The decrease in the number of screens and collection show that the movie needs another three to four weeks to collect $179,786 at the US box office. But, maintaining slots in theatres may be a difficult task for the film as some big-ticket movies are lined up for release. Hence, the Mahesh Babu starrer may not be able to surpass the mark of $3 million.
