The Akshay Kumar starrer 'Khatta Meetha' has had a sweet-sour effect on the box office as the Priyadarshan helmed comedy has made single-screen audiences burst into guffaws but left the multiplex crowd asking for more.
"The overall average occupancy for 'Khaata Meetha' over the weekend was 75 percent. Word of mouth is not that great and it is not being appreciated. Basically, it is a masses film meant only for single-screens where it is doing very well unlike in the multiplexes," Amit Awasthi, senior manager (Programming and Operations) of Spice Cinemas, said.
"Monday (July 26) onwards the occupancy of the movie has fallen drastically," he added.
A source from PVR cinemas said: "The weekend was okay and the occupancy was only 60 percent. The content is average and the initial was not as expected as out of an Akshay Kumar movie. We hope it sustains this week. However, it is doing well in single-screens."
Produced by Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Ltd and distributed by DreamWorld Searchlight Pictures, 'Khatta Meetha' takes a dig at corruption and bribery.
Akshay's character in the movie is modelled on renowned cartoonist R.K. Laxman's iconic 'Common Man' character.
A remake of Priyadarshan's 1988 Malayalam film 'Vellanakalude Naadu', it also stars Makrand Deshpande, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Aroona Irani and Milind Gunaji. Southern actress Trisha makes her Bollywood debut with the film.
"The weekend for 'Khatta Meetha' was only above average and not as per expectations, though not below too. The occupancy over the weekend has only been 70-75 percent vis-a-vis Akshay's films that generally get a 90-95 percent opening," said Yogesh Raizada, corporate head (Cinemas) of Wave Cinemas.
"The content is being appreciated at small centres but we are hoping it to sustain over the week, though there has been some fall on Monday," he added.
Deepak Taluja, senior vice president (Business and Operations) of Fun Cinemas, however, had a different story to tell.
"The weekend went quite well. Our expectations were rather very low but at the Delhi properties, it has got an occupancy of 60-65 percent on an average. Akshay Kumar's movie's hardly have a story but viewers have somehow liked it," said Taluja.
Single-screen theatres are going gaga over the film.
"People are liking the movie and it might stretch for a week at least. We have had an average occupancy of 80-85 percent in the initial weekend with a gross of over Rs.400,000. We are very happy with the audience reaction," said Prakash Dubey, manager, Sheila Cinema.
Added a source from Sangam cinema: "The movie has done good business at Sangam with an occupancy of over 80 percent. In fact Sunday (July 25) was houseful and jampacked. We are hoping it will sustain for at least two weeks."
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South India actress Trisha Krishnan, who teamed up with Askhay Kumar in 'Khatta Meetha', is upset with the media for trashing the comedy.
South Indian actress Trisha Krishnan has entered Bollywood following the trend of debuting with a leading man far older than her. In 'Khatta Meetha', she stars opposite 43-year-old Akshay Kumar.
The opening response of KHATTA MEETHA was extremely mixed across the country. While the film opened to a below average response at multiplexes of metros, the opening numbers of the film at single screens ranged from good to very good. The occupancy at multiplexes was in 40% to 50% range, while single screens were 70% to 80%, which is good, but not excellent. The not-too-happening response at multiplexes of metros isn't good news, since a major chunk of revenue comes from plexes mainly. Will the single screens compensate that business, is to be seen.
When Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar join hands, you expect the cineplex to reverberate with laughter. Let's not forget, the team has regaled us with some terrific entertainers in the past. Naturally then, you expect KHATTA MEETHA to take the legacy forward.
KHATTA MEETHA raises a finger at the corruption in government establishments, but what it tries to say, or expose, has been witnessed over and over again. In fact, it's the writing -- sorry, the absence of it -- that makes matters worse. The beginning is good, the middle falters and the end is exasperating. 
While the romantic track is the weakest link [half-baked; the songs are forced down your throats, without valid situations whatsoever], the flashback portions, depicting Akshay Kumar as a college student [!!!], is just hard to digest. Even the end is worn out and doesn't give the feel of contentment that one expects at the conclusion of a film. 
Akshay Kumar plays the common man with gusto. He looks his part and more importantly, not once do you feel that he's repeating himself. However, he goes over the top in a few sequences. Trisha carries the Plain Jane look well, but fails as an actress. The fiery attitude, so vital when you're enacting the role of the Municipal Commissioner, is missing. Rajpal Yadav is in terrific form yet again. What a splendid actor! 
