'The Namesake' makes US top 20 with $1.1 mn

Washington, March 19 (IANS) With gross earnings of $1.1 million at the box office, Indian American director Mira Nair's latest venture "The Namesake" has made it to the North American Top 20 in only its second weekend of limited release.

The film about an Indian immigrant family torn between tradition and modernity also broke the 10-year opening week box office record at the Paris Theatre in New York City with a sensational $101,929 in its first seven days.

"Monsoon Wedding" did not reach the Top 20 until its fourth weekend in 98 theatres and "Bend It Like Beckham" reached the Top 20 in its third weekend in 46 theatres, boxofficeguru.com noted.

Expanding from six to 41 theatres, "The Namesake" debuted March 16 in Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, Denver, Philadelphia, San Jose, Seattle and Vancouver and added more theatres in the existing markets of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto.

The film will now open in an additional 69 theatres March 23 in Dallas, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, Montreal, New Jersey, Oakland, Phoenix, San Diego and St. Louis.

Earlier earning over a quarter million at the box office in its opening weekend, "The Namesake" returned a record per-theatre average of $41,794 from six theatres in comparison with other Indian-themed films that debuted in limited release.

"Monsoon Wedding" made $68,546 from two theatres in New York for a $34,273 average, "Bend it Like Beckham" made $161,528 from six theatres for a $26,921 average and "Water" made $56,280 from five theatres for a $11,256 average.

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The Namesake