Sridevi's Nagina (1986) rocks the box-office!

Sridevi in and as Nagina (1986)

For a quickie Flashback Friday, a blast to the past, when Nagina released and started breaking box-office records.

Giving Karma a run for its money!

Nagina is turning out to be one of those freak hits like Pyar Jhukta Nahin which deny all logic. Made by Harmesh Malhotra, who hasn't given a decent hit till now, and with only Sridevi to woo the audiences, Nagina is turning out to be the grosser which might overshadow even Karma, the media hit of '86! In the eighth week it, collected Rs. 1,58,353 (94 percent) on 3 prints in Bombay while Delhi gave it Rs 2, 04,884 on 4 prints and Cacutta Rs. 41, 438 on 1 print.

"Nagina certainly beats Karma in terms of the profits it will earn," says a distributor. "It's the runaway hit of the year, it's creating havoc everywhere!" The reason why he's getting so carried away is that Nagina was sold for a mere Rs.18 lakhs and is expected to do a business of Rs. 1 crore while Karma, which is celebrating its silver jubilee was sold for Rs. 64 lakhs and together with prints and publicity that puts up a hefty Rs 80 lakhs to be grossed before it can break even.

"It's too high a price to make money on," says the distributor. "In Bombay, it's not doing well though it is not running a deficit as yet. It's doing well in the circuits however. But it's not enough."

Sridevi in Nagina (1986)

And with Nagina, Sridevi has bounced back into top form for according to the distributor, "Nagina has nothing else, but Sridevi and music. This is her year definitely!"

Original feature - click to enlarge and read! 

Archive of Nagina pics here.

Below: Sridevi in Mr.India and in Karma, both films dominated the box-office.