'Rab Ne...' hits bull's eye, breaks Yash Raj's jinx

New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) Yash Raj Films' 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi' that hit the screens Dec 12 has proven to be a breather for the production house breaking its jinx of delivering duds this year.

The banner's earlier releases this year, 'Roadside Romeo', 'Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic' and 'Tashan' were cold-shouldered by the audience despite major pre-release promotion though Ranbir Kapoor starrer 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' managed to do average business at the box office.

However, 'Rab Ne...' has given Yash Raj Films a new lease of life.

It was believed in the trade circles that the production house was releasing the film at a wrong time - when global economic slump was on and soon after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Directed by dormant filmmaker Aditya Chopra, the film is Shah Rukh Khan's first release of the year and the first Shah Rukh-Aditya Chopra collaboration in over eight years after post 'Mohabbatein' (2000).

The film has broken all earlier opening weekend collection records for Yash Raj Films grossing approximately Rs.600 million worldwide on its opening weekend.

'It's after a long time that a good movie has came out of the Yash Raj camp and that too with Aditya Chopra and Shah Rukh coming together after eight years,' Joginder Mahajan, a Delhi-based distributor, told IANS.

'Though the collections for the movie have not been cent percent, they have been beyond expectations so far. It is the first big release after 'Dostana' and has no competition till the next two weeks until 'Ghajini' releases Dec 25. So it has full chances of reaping the benefit,' he added.

Set in Amritsar, 'Rab Ne...' is the story of a mismatched couple played by Shah Rukh and debutante Anushka Sharma and how the pair explores love in the backdrop of a dance competition.

According to a statement released by Yash Raj Films Monday, the light-hearted romantic comedy has crossed boundaries and even set records in the Middle East.

The film has also received a grand opening across all overseas markets, including Britain, the US, Australia, Europe, Africa, and other territories in Asia.