The Republic Day weekend has always been a big release period for Bollywood films to cash in on the patriotic and mass appeal.
Over the years films like Pathaan and Agneepath have set the benchmarks during this holiday period.
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This year it’s Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force which is in the spotlight but with a unique ticket pricing strategy it’s still unsure if the film can match the box office numbers of its predecessors.
The Republic Day weekend has seen some big films rule the box office. Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan (2023) leads with an astonishing ₹55 crores on its opening day.
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Other top openers include Hrithik Roshan’s Fighter (₹24.60 crores), Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat (₹24 crores), Hrithik’s Agneepath (₹23 crores) and Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees (₹20.42 crores). These films had star power and a great story to go with it and were huge pullers.
Unlike its predecessors Sky Force is following an unconventional ticket pricing strategy to pull in the audience. Major multiplex chains like PVR and INOX have reduced the ticket prices to as low as ₹25-₹50 from the usual ₹200 to increase the occupancy.
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This bold move has resulted in a huge surge in ticket sales with over 72,000 tickets sold .Despite the increased box experts are predicting the film’s opening day collection to be between ₹5-₹6 crores which is much lower than the ₹10.26 crores needed to enter the top 10 Republic Day openers.
The discounted pricing is a challenge for Sky Force. While it will ensure full houses, the lower ticket rates will mean lower revenue and it will be tough to compete with the biggies of the past.
On the other hand the strategy can generate good word of mouth if the film works with the audience. Maddock Films have a reputation of delivering content driven films and Akshay Kumar’s stardom can help the film sustain beyond the opening weekend.
Sky Force may not enter the top Republic Day openers like Pathaan and Agneepath but its unique pricing strategy will ensure audience and visibility.
Now the film’s long term success depends on how it connects with the audience and maintains the momentum post the holiday weekend. As the dust settles we will know the true impact of this move.
