One Direction - This Is Us is running strong in the UAE, with teenagers flocking in large groups to watch the concert film of the pop phenomenon.
If their fan following is anything to go by, it wasn't hard to predict the success of British boy band One Direction's concert movie This is Us at the box office. The movie has made an estimated Dh117.5million ($32million) and counting from ticket sales worldwide since it opened in the last week of August.
It has also topped the US and UK box-office charts, making three times more than other movies in the concert and documentary genre including those on Katy Perry and Justin Bieber according to reports. The movie has only fallen short of attaining the numbers that Michael Jackson's - This Is It- has amassed.
The movie is running strong in the UAE, with teenagers flocking in large groups to catch the behind-the-scenes life of the pop phenomenon.
“We aren’t fans,” says Nandhini Shankar, 16, who arrived with a friend much before time for a matinee show at Deira City Centre this weekend. “We call ourselves Directioners,” she says shaking with excitement while trying to explain the term used to describe the band’s fan base.
Like many young girls who obsess over the four young boys- Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan- Nandhini’s and Ananya Kotian, her friend, love affair began after listening to What Makes You Beautiful, one of the first singles released by the British band. “It is such a catchy song. After hearing it I looked them up and watched the video diaries they made during X Factor.”
“It is hard to pick one favourite member,” says Ananya. “They are all unique. And with this movie we get a backdoor entry to their life.”
The likability of the bunch that tasted dizzying fame even before the release of their first album has a lot to do with their journey on X Factor, the British music competition, gaining adulation for solo renditions and then as a group in 2010. They won the hearts of young people and the vote of Simon Cowell, the judge, but were unable to clench the top spot. Not the kind to cry over spilt milk, the group that came third decided to continue together and ended up with a million plus following that was unmatched by the winner of the series. The movie gives credit to those loyal fans who keep track of their every move and display hysteria without inhibitions.
Their backstory triggered cheers and hooting at the cinema, especially when Malik and Styles began narrating theirs. As the band tours for concerts around the world, viewers get a glimpse of several private moments peppered with goofy antics all along. Their personal life isn't drawn out as clearly as many moviegoers might have expected, but the entertainment was sustained by pranks and on-stage performances to songs like One Thing and Kiss You, making youngsters gasp, giggle and sing along.
1D, as they are called, has managed to get the older crowd to root for them as well. Salwa Al Hammadi, who watched the movie with her children Shaima and Naqiya walked out the cinema a fan. “I did not know much about them,” she says. “But I thought the movie was awesome. I felt like a teenager too.”
Al Hammadi says she was clapping along with her nine year old kids. “I was comparing them to Justin Bieber, and he was bad. These guys as cool.” Shaima says she loved all the funny moments. “I love Niall and Zain. And the best part was when they showed all the concerts and our favourite songs.”
