IT: Horror Film Continues Successful Run in India Too

By Little India Desk | September 15, 2017

Andy Muschietti’s supernatural horror movie, IT, which is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, has emerged as a strong money spinner in India. The film, released on Sept. 08, received rave reviews all over the world, smashing opening day records at many centers.

Released in all major Indian cities, the movie collected Rs 9.70 crore in the opening weekend. It had collected $132.2 million in the United States and Canada box office as of Sept. 12.

This is not the first time that a horror movie from Hollywood is creating waves at the Indian box office. Earlier, James Wan’s Conjuring 2 had a wide release in the country, and collected Rs 19.80 crore in its opening weekend.

 IT, which was released only in select tier-2 centers, may see a bigger push from Warner Bros. now that it has impressed Indian audiences.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the results, and congratulate New Line Cinema, director Andy Muschietti and his phenomenal cast and crew on this fantastic opening,” Denzil Dias, the vice president and managing director of Warner Bros. India, said.

Hollywood Horror Movies in India

India was until recently considered a positive market for English films carrying a Superhero theme, besides the usual rom-coms. This perception was shattered by the James Wan-directed Conjuring 2. The film gave a new visual experience to Indian viewers, and collected a staggering Rs 54 crore in the country.

Then came David F Sandberg’s Annabelle 2: Creation. The film, with an evil doll at the center of the theme, was released on August 18 this year and was well received by Indians.

When it comes to IT, it is the creepy atmosphere set by director Andy Muschietti that attracts viewers. The strong cinematic language adopted by the director succeeds in making them sit tight throughout the running time of 135 minutes.

Stephen King’s works are difficult to recreate as television series or movies without the risk of losing the essence of the original. Earlier, a television series based on this novel was made in 1992, but it was panned by critics.

After 27 years, Andy Muschietti has revisited the classic novel, and he has delivered a classic film adaptation with finesse. The uncompromising cinematic language adopted by him has played a crucial role in the global success of IT. For Indian audiences, it was a fresh experience to see a clown-shaped evil figure creating chaos.

Another factor that made IT a huge success in India is the clever marketing strategy adopted by the distributors. The movie was promoted heavily through social media, and as of now, the official Facebook page has 1.3 million Likes. Moreover, the extended trailer of the movie was screened during the release of Annabelle: Creation, which increased the overall hype surrounding the film.

IT: The Story of the Demonic Clown

IT is set in a small town named Derry Maine, where a group of young kids named the “Losers Club” encounters an evil shape-shifting clown, named Pennywise that appears in the city every 27 years on a blood-hunting spree. The gruesome history of the clown dates back to centuries, and now, he is hunting down the members of the “Losers Club”.

The film stars Jaiden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Bill Skarsgard, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Hamilton and Jack Dylan Grazer in the lead roles.

Favorable Reviews

IT currently carries a score of 88 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, and is rated 8.2/10 on IMDB. Most critics have praised the movie for its rich content and strong performances from the lead stars, especially the child performers.

“Visual flair and a solid cast keep Andy Muschietti’s patchy Stephen King adaptation afloat,” writes Andrew Barker of Variety.

Michael O’Sullivan of the Washington Post called the film a walking nightmare, adding, “Call it a symphony of orchestral meta-horror, an elaborate waking nightmare in which you, as the dreamer, are constantly reminded of what the film is trying to do, and yet are powerless to stop it.”