Bride Ash wins Battle of Britain

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /><br /></div> <div class="Normal" style="" text-align:="" center=""><span style="" font-family:="" times="" new="" roman=""><img src="/photo/884316.cms" alt="/photo/884316.cms" border="0" /></span></div> <div class="Normal"><br /><br />LONDON: In a surprise revelation and despite all the sniping critics and snarling reviews, Britain has paid surprisingly fervent homage - in cash at the box office -to Gurinder Chadha''s extraordinary attempt to put Jane Austen in a sari.<br /><br />According to new official figures, Bollywood has triumphed over two major Hollywood offerings in the films'' first weekend out on general release.<br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Bride and Prejudice</span>, Aishwariya Rai''s first English-language film, took the top spot at the British box office, earning more than £1.7 million over the crucial first 48-hour period.<br /><br />The official figures, just out in Screen International, show that Bollywood''s chaste formulaic routine of meeting and marrying sans sex has pummeled romantic comedy <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Wimbledon</span> from the top spot into third place.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /></div> <div class="Normal" style="" text-align:="" center=""><span style="" font-family:="" times="" new="" roman=""><img src="/photo/884317.cms" alt="/photo/884317.cms" border="0" /></span></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Industry analysts said ''Bride''s'' performance was remarkable, considering its stars are largely unknown to Western audiences.<br /><br />Chadha''s savagely-mauled attempt at transplanting Austen''s very English sensibilities into the heart of Punjab, triumphed over Hollywood''s <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Resident Evil: Apocalypse</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Man on Fire</span>, both of which also went on simultaneous general release.<br /><br />Director Chadha, just back here after the big-ticket premiere in India, has described herself, with faux-modesty, as "thrilled" by her new film''s remarkable takings.<br /><br />She said she felt vindicated by the "exuberant reaction" of audiences across the three continents that double as a locale for her lavish big-budget film.<br /><br />Unsurprisingly though, Chadha offered little comment on the less sunshine aspect of the film''s success: the indisputable fact that ''Bride'' has still not outshone ''Beckham''.<br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Bride and Prejudice''s</span> opening weekend collections and per screen average are lower compared to Chadha''s earlier film, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Bend It Like Beckham</span>.<br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Bend It Like Beckham</span>, which has now become an over-used newspaper headline around the world, kick-started Chadha''s signature theme of transmuting English concepts into a crowd-pleasing, multi-cultural, India-spiced cinematic stew.<br /><br />Like ''Bride'', it debuted at number one, collecting £ 2,001,795 on 384 screens.Its per-screen average worked out to £ 5,213.<br /><br />''Bride'', which opened on 394 screens, has fallen somewhat short of that.<br /><br />Analysts said ''Bride'' might have been carried, or literally lifted aloft into its prestigious premier spot by Britain''s two-million strong Asian community.<br /><br />Asians, committed film fans to a man, regularly push Bollywood films into the top 15 on the UK charts.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"></div> </div><div class="section4"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br /></div> <div class="Normal" style="" text-align:="" center=""><span style="" font-family:="" times="" new="" roman=""><img src="/photo/884319.cms" alt="/photo/884319.cms" border="0" /></span></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Experts say ''Bride'' might face more serious competition next week when America''s box-office chart topper <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Shark''s Tale</span> is released.<br /><br />Still more Hollywood competition is expected the week after with <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Alfie</span> and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Alien vs Predator</span>.<br /><br />''Bride'' will get a limited American release in New York and LA on Christmas day, with more screens and cities being added over the January holidays.<br /><br />Said a defiantly optimistic Chadha: "I am thrilled, ''Bride'' took over 1.65 million pounds in the UK in one weekend! I have now seen the film with the English, Indian and American public and they have all had mostly the same exuberant reaction. I set out to make a British movie using an Indian musical style for the global audience, from what I''ve seen so far I am happy I''ve achieved this."<br /></div> </div>