Cluttered Independence Day weekend on the cards for movie theatres

The upcoming Independence Day weekend, which is crucial for the struggling film business, is cluttered with multiple releases, making theatre owners nervous. While horror comedy Stree 2 is likely to garner half of all screens given its established fan base, it shall compete with Akshay Kumar-starrer Khel Khel Mein and John Abraham’s Vedaa. A separate slate of films including Double iSmart (Telugu) and Thangalaan (Tamil) is releasing down south, adding to the competition.

Exhibitors say cinemas that had run nearly empty due to lack of content for two months during the Lok Sabha elections, now have to deal with a clutter, leading to showcasing issues. The holiday weekend comes at a time that the business is struggling with audiences having found little value in titles released over the past few weeks, making it crucial for the new films to find traction.

“Exhibitors prefer two big films for a holiday weekend and a third release usually leads to cannibalization in terms of screens and showcasing. In case there is a third release, it tends to see lower occupancies while the holiday period can sustain well if two, or even one film works," said Amit Sharma, managing director ofMiraj Entertainment, a multiplex operator.

Given that Stree 2 has already made a mark with its trailer and songs and the first part had also seen box office success, it doesn’t really make sense for the other two films to try and compete, independent exhibitor Vishek Chauhan pointed out. 

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“They could have benefited from better showcasing and traction had they released some other time," Chauhan said. If Stree 2 takes off the way it is expected to, theatres will anyway adjust shows accordingly, he added. Given the number of options available to viewers this week, Chauhan expects Stree 2 to manage an opening day of around ₹25 crore and the other two Hindi films could clock anything between ₹7 crore and ₹10 crore each. Had it been a solo release, the horror comedy could have earned up to ₹40 crore on day one, he said.

Clear edge likely

“In the north, Stree 2 is anticipated to have a clear edge. This advantage stems from the franchise's established popularity among audiences, as the original film, Stree, was a significant success. The recent trend of horror comedies, exemplified by hits like Munja, has further solidified this genre's appeal in the northern market," Devang Sampat, managing director, Cinepolis India, pointed out. 

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In the south, the scenario is slightly different, he added, with films targeting specific linguistic markets. Thangalaan is expected to dominate the Tamil market while Double iSmart is poised to perform exceptionally well in the Telugu market, leveraging its appeal through engaging content tailored to regional tastes.

To be sure, the Independence Day weekend has historically been a blockbuster period for the film industry, consistently drawing large audiences and delivering impressive box office returns, trade experts said.

Strengthening trend

This trend has continued to strengthen after the pandemic, as evidenced by the success of Gadar 2, which grossed over ₹500 crore last year. These results underline the growing importance of holiday weekends for the industry, as they not only offer a surge in viewership but also help revive and sustain the momentum of cinema-going culture. “Weekends are always crucial for the business, accounting for 60% of footfalls in a week, and this year is no exception. Given the current state of the industry, where recovery and growth are paramount, a strong weekend performance is more important than ever. Exhibitors are indeed pinning their hopes on weekends to drive substantial foot traffic and revenue," Sampat added.

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This year's Independence Day weekend is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for the film industry, agreed Ashish Saksena,chief operating officer, cinemas, BookMyShow. “A successful run for the upcoming releases can reignite the business, restore confidence and set a positive momentum for the rest of the year. Films like Stree 2 and Double iSmart are expected to lead in advance bookings due to strong audience enthusiasm," Saksena said.