When bhai goes missing in action, will Eid box office be the same?
NEW DELHI : The Eid weekend is here, but there’s no Salman Khan. The absence of this tried-and-tested combo, plus a general fall in audience flow into theatres after covid, have subdued the chances of a blockbuster Eid weekend for both moviegoers and the industry this year.
Over the years, Eid weekends have seen several Khan blockbusters such as Sultan (2016), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), Kick (2014), Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and Bodyguard (2011) that made ₹20-30 crore on their respective opening days when released pre-covid. Comparatively, the two movies slated for Eid release in 2024, action movie Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and sports drama Maidaan, are together expected to make ₹25-30 crore on day one.
Independent exhibitor Vishek Chauhan expects both movies to struggle to make a mark even though they are thematically different. “There isn’t a real clash between the two films because they belong to completely different genres and sensibilities, and should make for good counterprogramming to each other.
That said, both should make for a tough sell this Eid." While the two films target different demographics—Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is an action drama about two soldiers teaming up to counter anti-national forces, and Maidaan is a sports biography of legendary football coach Syed Abdul Rahim alias Rahim Saab—neither has been able to generate adequate buzz even for what is seen as a hugely lucrative period for film business. Maidaan seems poised to cater to upmarket, multiplex audiences, but drama as a genre hasn’t found much draw in cinemas post-covid and has largely moved to OTT, trade experts point out.
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