Box Office Clash 'Dunki' And 'Salaar' Set For Screen Battle In North India, 'Animal' Adds To The Competition
The release of two most awaited movies of 2023 Dunki and Salaar is just a week away. This weekend, Hollywood movie 'Aquaman 2' is also releasing, which simultaneously running in theaters along with Ranbir Kapoor's Animal. The competition for screens has begun. Shah Rukh Khan's 'Dunki' is being distributed in North India by Jayantilal Gada's company, Pen Marudhar. On the other hand, AA Films will distribute Prabhas's Salaar. Warner Bros. is responsible for releasing 'Aquaman 2' across India. Everyone wants their film to get the biggest release possible, but currently, 'Dunki' seems to be gaining an edge in the North Indian battle.
Negotiations between distributors and exhibitors are ongoing. The final decision will be known on Wednesday night. According to early trends, 'Dunki' seems to have an upper hand in North India. Reports suggest that 'Dunki' is expected to have 46% of total shows in multiplexes, while 'Salaar' may settle for 30%. 'Aquaman 2' is expected to get 14% of shows. The remaining 10% will be reserved for Ranbir Kapoor's 'Animal.' Note that this is specific to multiplexes with three screens.
Things will be different in two-screen multiplexes or single-screen theaters. The decision to show 'Dunki' or 'Salaar' in these places will entirely depend on the understanding between the local distributor and exhibitor. Many single-screen theaters are leaned to show 'Dunki' because it is Shahrukh Khan and Rajkumar Hirani's first film together and is expected to attract family audiences. Plus, Shah Rukh Khan is returning after delivering two all-time blockbuster movies Jawan and Pathaan.
On the other hand, 'Salaar' is a high-budget action film, a genre that is currently doing well and making money. Shah Rukh Khan has already given two blockbusters in this genre, and this works in favor of 'Salaar.' Additionally, 'Salaar' has received an A certificate from the censor board due to violent scenes, which usually keeps family audiences away. However, 'Animal' has broken the traditional norms and created a buzz despite being an A-rated film with a runtime of more than three hours. This has left cinema owners in a dilemma about what to choose and what to skip.
The entire game seems to be in North India for Dunki. In the South, it is apparent that 'Salaar' will be preferred over 'Dunki' as Prabhas is a superstar in those regions. 'Salaar,' directed by Prashanth Neel, features Prabhas along with Prithviraj Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, and Tinnu Anand. 'Salaar' is set to release on December 22.
'Dunki' has a runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes and is directed by Rajkumar Hirani. The movie stars Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, Vikram Kochhar, and Anil Grover. 'Dunki' is scheduled for release on December 21.