Sikandar Struggles as Theaters Shift Focus
Salman Khan’s latest film, Sikandar, is facing significant challenges at the box office, with disappointing audience turnout following its release. Despite a slight uptick in viewership on its second day, the film’s overall performance has prompted theaters to reduce its screenings in favor of more successful titles. As the holiday season winds down, the trend suggests Sikandar may continue to struggle in the coming weeks.
Box Office Performance and Audience Reception
Upon its release, Sikandar initially showed promise, but the word of mouth has been overwhelmingly negative. Reports indicate that while some theaters in major cities like Mumbai did not cancel screenings outright, many locations experienced dismal attendance. In Surat, for instance, Kiritbhai T Vaghasia, who manages The Friday Cinema multiplex, reported that the morning shows on Monday sold no tickets at all. He expressed disappointment, noting that expectations were high for increased attendance during the Eid holiday, but the reality was starkly different.
Vaghasia explained that the film’s poor reception led him to replace evening shows of Sikandar with other films like All The Best Pandya and Umbarro, both of which have been performing well. Interestingly, Umbarro is in its ninth week of release yet continues to attract audiences, highlighting the competitive landscape for films in theaters right now.
Theater Adjustments and Replacements
As Sikandar‘s viewership dwindles, several cinemas have begun to replace its screenings with more popular films. In Mumbai, the Inox Raghuleela Kandivali has already swapped out the 9:30 pm show for All The Best Pandya, and plans to remove additional showings in favor of Umbarro. Similarly, other theaters like Cinepolis Seawoods and PVR Orion Mall Panvel have also cut Sikandar from their schedules, opting instead for the Malayalam film L2 Empuraan.
In South Mumbai, the prestigious Inox Nariman Point and Metro Inox have made similar adjustments, replacing Sikandar with John Abraham’s The Diplomat. These changes reflect a broader trend in the industry, where audience preferences are dictating the availability of films in theaters.
Gaiety-Galaxy: An Exception to the Trend
Despite the overall decline in Sikandar‘s performance, the iconic Gaiety-Galaxy multiplex in Mumbai has seen a different outcome. The venue has continued to showcase the film in its largest auditoriums, even accommodating additional screenings in smaller halls. Remarkably, Sikandar managed to sell out on Eid, demonstrating that Salman Khan’s star power still resonates strongly with certain segments of the audience.
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