Bollywood film “Shaitaan” has scored a hefty opening, according to data provided to Variety.
The film marks the first collaboration between billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Studios, Bollywood A-lister Ajay Devgn’s Devgn Films and Panorama Studios.
“Shaitaan” scored a worldwide weekend gross of $9.8 million, including India, according to numbers from Panorama Studios. Internationally, the film enjoyed a $1.8 million weekend, Panorama said. This makes it Devgn’s second highest overseas opening, after the $2.3 million earned by Panorama’s “Drishyam 2” in 2022.
Hailing from the supernatural thriller genre, “Shaitaan” stars Devgn, R. Madhavan (“The Railway Men”), Jyotika (“Kaathal – The Core”) and Janki Bodiwala (“Vash”). It is directed by Vikas Bahl (“Ganapath”) and written by Aamil Keeyan Khan (“Bholaa”) and Krishnadev Yagnik (“Danny Jigar”).
“Shaitaan” traces the journey of Kabir (Devgn) and his family. Their fun weekend retreat takes a nightmarish turn when they invite a friendly, but mysterious, stranger (Madhavan) into their house and they delve into the dark world of black magic.
Meanwhile, Panorama is making strides internationally. The first “Drishyam,” a hit Indian thriller in which an ordinary man confounds the police in order to protect his family, will be remade in English, it was revealed recently. Production is by Panorama with U.S. companies Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films.
The film was first made in 2013 in the Malayalam language, starring Mohanlal and Meena, before being remade in Hindi with Ajay Devgn and Tabu in the lead roles in 2015. It earned itself a Hindi sequel “Drishyam 2,” in 2022, that grossed some $43 million worldwide.
Panorama, which produced the Hindi version for Viacom18 Motion Pictures, acquired the international remake rights to “Drishyam 1 & 2” from the original producers, Aashirvad Cinemas, and is settling up multiple international versions. A Korean remake with Anthology Studios was announced in May last year, while Panorama says that a development deal for a Spanish language retread is also close to being finalized.