In the midst of the film clashes that have become inevitable in the 52 weeks of a year, 2023 emerges as a year marked by notable showdowns. The clash between Gadar 2 and OMG 2, Barbie versus Oppenheimer, and Animal against Sam Bahadur have already set the stage. Now, the spotlight is on the colossal clash between Shah Rukh Khan’s “Dunki” and Prabhas’ “Salaar: Part 1- Ceasefire,” directed by Rajkumar Hirani and Prashanth Neel respectively.
As the release day approaches, the competition to secure more screens is escalating. Shah Rukh Khan, who has enjoyed immense success with two major hits, “Jawan” and “Pathaan,” this year, currently holds a significant advantage over “Salaar.” According to industry tracker Sacnilk, “Dunki” boasts almost twice the number of shows compared to the Prabhas starrer. The advance booking for “Dunki” stands at an impressive 9665 shows, while “Salaar” trails with 4338 shows. It’s worth noting that “Dunki” is set to release exclusively in Hindi, while “Salaar” will be available in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, with additional IMAX shows in Telugu and Hindi.
In terms of advance sales for the opening day, “Salaar” has garnered Rs 6 crore from the sale of 246,881 tickets, whereas “Dunki” leads with Rs 7.37 crore from sales of 251,333 tickets. Reports are circulating about a brewing conflict between the distributors of both films regarding screen allocation. While “Dunki” distributors aim to secure shows exclusively for their film, “Salaar” distributors are open to equal sharing between the two releases.
The industry dynamics are further complicated by the ongoing prioritization of multiplexes in the advance booking process. Single-screen owners, particularly frustrated with Shah Rukh Khan’s team, claim they are being sidelined despite the evident demand for his film. As the tension builds, the battle for supremacy at the box office between “Dunki” and “Salaar” intensifies with each passing day.
