Laxman Utekar's film Chhaava has made an impressive debut at the box office, grossing over ₹67 crore in the domestic market within its first two days. The Vicky Kaushal-led project is poised to surpass the ₹100 crore mark by the end of its opening weekend. Due to the high demand for tickets, many exhibitors, particularly in Maharashtra, are introducing late-night and early-morning screenings.

Chhaava sees early morning, midnight shows

The film is a biopic of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji, and depicts Sambhaji's struggle against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Given its historical significance and Sambhaji's revered status in Maharashtra, the film has performed exceptionally well in the state. Starting Sunday, numerous theaters in Mumbai and Pune have begun offering midnight screenings, thereby extending the viewing hours. Smaller venues have even initiated shows at 6 am and 1 am, as reported by exhibitors.

According to Bollywood Hungama, showtimes in various locations across Mumbai have been extended to as late as 12:45 am, 1 am, 1:15 am, and even 1:30 am, although these changes have yet to be implemented. KoiMoi noted that with occupancy rates reaching 95% in Pune, several theaters have introduced 6 am screenings in the city.

Chhaava's performance in Maharashtra

Chhaava's performance in Maharashtra has been noteworthy. The film recorded 50% occupancy across all shows on Saturday, which increased to 69% for the night screenings. In Mumbai, occupancy reached an impressive 93%, while Pune saw an even higher rate of 97%. The film has also performed well in southern cities, with Chennai and Hyderabad reporting occupancy rates of 81% and 88%, respectively, for Saturday night shows.

Chhaava features Vicky Kaushal in the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, with Akshaye Khanna portraying Emperor Aurangzeb. The cast also includes Rashmika Mandanna and Divya Dutta. Critical reception has been mixed, with commendations for the performances but some criticism regarding the film's pacing.

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