‘Republic
Day
week
has
consistently
been
a
lucrative
period
for
the
film
industry.’
Kindly
note
the
image
has
been
posted
only
for
representational
purposes.
People
at
a
multiplex
theatre
watch
a
movie.
Photograph:
ANI
Photo
India’s
multiplex
chains
are
anticipating
higher
occupancy
rates
this
Republic
Day
weekend,
betting
on
the
Akshay
Kumar-starrer
Sky
Force,
a
patriotic-themed
action
movie
based
on
real-life
events.
This
hope
comes
after
Hindi
cinema
saw
one
of
its
worst
performances
at
the
box
office
in
2024,
with
multiplex
chains
struggling
to
fill
their
theatres,
and
now,
with
the
excitement
around
Pushpa
2:
The
Rule
gradually
fading.
Released
close
to
the
R-Day
last
year,
the
Hrithik
Roshan
and
Deepika
Padukone-starrer
Fighter
As
a
result,
multiplex
chains
like
PVR
INOX,
Cinepolis
India,
and
Mukta
A2
Cinemas
are
expecting
similar
trends
this
year,
with
Sky
Force‘s
strong
pre-release
buzz.
“Republic
Day
week
has
consistently
been
a
lucrative
period
for
the
film
industry,
and
Sky
Force
is
well
positioned
to
capitalise
on
this
trend,”
Devang
Sampat,
managing
director,
Cinepolis
India,
the
Indian
arm
of
the
Mexican
movie
theatre
chain,
told
Business
Standard.
“We
are
projecting
an
impressive
turnout
of
over
600,000
viewers
during
the
weekend,
with
average
occupancy
expected
around
60
per
cent,”
Sampat
said.
Sunday,
in
particular,
holds
the
potential
to
reach
close
to
75
per
cent
occupancy,
marking
a
highly
successful
theatrical
run,
he
added.
Kamal
Gianchandani,
chief
of
business
planning
and
strategy,
PVR
INOX,
India’s
largest
cinema
exhibitor,
said
that
this
much-anticipated
Akshay
Kumar
blockbuster
is
tailor-made
for
the
grandeur
of
the
big
screen,
and
his
multiplex
chain
is
thrilled
to
offer
audiences
the
chance
to
experience
it
in
all
its
glory.
“The
Republic
Day
weekend
is
expected
to
see
a
significant
surge
in
footfalls,
with
an
anticipated
increase
of
approximately
20
per
cent
compared
to
regular
weekends,
reflecting
the
strong
excitement
among
moviegoers,”
Gianchandani
added.
Satwik
Lele,
chief
operating
officer,
Mukta
A2
Cinemas,
said
they
are
witnessing
strong
demand
in
metropolitan
cities
such
as
Mumbai,
Delhi
and
Pune,
where
Sky
Force
has
struck
a
chord
with
the
urban
audience.
“Additionally,
cities
like
Ahmedabad,
Chandigarh
and
Jaipur
are
showing
a
significant
uptick
in
bookings,
reflecting
the
widespread
excitement
for
the
movie
across
regions,”
Lele
explained.
For
Cinepolis
India
too,
metropolitan
cities
lead
the
demand
surge.
However,
Sampat
noted
that
Sky
Force
is
also
seeing
promising
traction
in
Tier-II
cities
like
Bhopal,
Jaipur
and
Patna,
indicating
widespread
interest
across
regions.
PVR
INOX
has
introduced
a
special
promotional
offer
to
further
enhance
their
footfalls,
promising
Rs
250
discount
on
every
Sky
Force
movie
transaction
made
through
their
application
or
Web
site.
Similarly,
Mukta
A2
Cinemas
is
also
optimistic
about
its
food
and
beverage
offerings.
It
is
not
just
Sky
Force
but
regional
movies
are
also
witnessing
similar
demand.
“We’re
seeing
notable
interest
in
regional
films
in
markets
like
South
India
and
Maharashtra,
where
language-specific
content
resonates
deeply
with
the
audience,”
said
Lele.
“Regional
cinema
continues
to
thrive
alongside
mainstream
Bollywood
releases,
and
the
diversity
in
content
ensures
there’s
something
for
everyone,”
Lele
added.
Sampat
added
that
Dominic
and
the
Ladies’
Purse,
a
Malayalam
language
mystery
comedy
thriller
featuring
Mammootty,
is
poised
to
be
a
blockbuster.
Regional
titles
like
Umbarro
(Gujarati)
and
Fussclass
Dabhade
are
also
generating
strong
anticipation,
and
are
likely
to
perform
well
this
weekend.
Feature
Presentation:
Ashish
Narsale/Rediff.com