For all the huge pre-release publicity spent by the U.K. Film Council (estimated at 150,000 pounds) and a massive release with 93 prints spread across 73 screens, the business of "Mangal Pandey-The Rising" is said to be nowhere close to the great expectations built around the film.

The opening grossed by the film in its first three days is estimated at 220,259 pounds, which makes the per screen average 3,017 pounds and per print average 2,368 pounds.

Compare this to another period film, "Parineeta", which was also released merely eight weeks before "The Rising". "Parineeta" opened to a gross business of 115,286 pounds with only 30,000 pounds media spend across 33 screens (38 prints) making the per screen average 3,493 pounds and per print average 3,033 pounds.