Theatres bet on Salman Khan's Eid comeback ‘Sikandar’ to end blockbuster drought
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Salman Khan’s return to the big screen on Eid, which has yielded great box office returns in the past, offers cinemas hope that the tried-and-tested formula will end the drought of blockbusters since December. Khan’s latest action film Sikandar, hitting cinemas on Sunday (30 March), is estimated to rake in ₹20-30 crore on opening day.
While that may be lower than some of his previous Eid releases, it’s also the only hope for cinemas betting on Bollywood releases. “The buzz around Sikandar is extremely positive, and we are seeing strong anticipation, especially in the north and Hindi-speaking markets. Salman Khan’s star power and action sequences, combined with the festive timing of Eid, make the film an ideal choice for audiences across metros and tier-two or three cities," said Gautam Dutta, chief executive officer-revenue and operations, PVR INOX Ltd.
“We expect single screens and mass circuits to drive significant footfalls, while metros will see steady interest, particularly from family audiences." After a strong start, the momentum will only strengthen on Eid (Monday), a day that has historically propelled Khan’s blockbusters in the past, Dutta said. Theatres haven’t seen a mainstream blockbuster since Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule in December. While the southern market will throw up tough competition with Mohanlal’s Malayalam film L2: Empuraan, cinema owners are betting on Khan’s loyal fan following and director AR Murugadoss’ reputation for commercial cinema to do the trick.
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