The Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is all set to wow the audience once again with his latest offering, 'Sikandar,' ready to hit theaters this weekend. The trailer for the film, recently unveiled, has received an overwhelmingly positive response from Salman's ardent fans. A noteworthy aspect of 'Sikandar' is that it marks the return of Salman to his Eid traditions after a two-year hiatus. The relationship between Eid and Salman is legendary, highlighted by the fact that from 2009 to 2019, Salman delivered a new release every Eid, with the sole exception being 2013 when he took a break from films.
However, the pandemic years of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns put a damper on this festive ritual, denying fans the thrill of a Salman Eid release. In 2023, his film 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan' didn't quite hit the mark with the audience. But now, with 'Sikandar,' Salman is poised to enthrall fans once again, rekindling the magic of an Eid release. Despite the solid track record of Salman's Eid outings, 'Sikandar's' release timing stands as a potential risk.
Source: aajtak
Salman's Impressive Record of Eid Releases
Salman's connection with Eid films is more about the records set, even by films not as celebrated as 'Ek Tha Tiger' or 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan.'
One of Salman's lesser-known Eid releases, 'Tubelight' (2017), despite lukewarm reception, managed a robust opening weekend collection of 65 crore, a significant feat. Comparatively, 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan' amassed 68 crore during its weekend despite mixed reviews, and the critically panned 'Race 3' (2018) soared past 100 crore. Essentially, even Salman's less popular films end up raking in a satisfactory box office return during Eid.
Among Salman’s Eid releases, four films—'Ek Tha Tiger,' 'Sultan,' 'Race 3,' and 'Bharat'—each have surpassed the 100-crore mark in their opening weekends, with 'Sultan' reaching an extraordinary 180 crores.
Source: aajtak
Why 'Sikandar's' Sunday Release is Risky
It's generally known that films typically premiere on Fridays. This schedule allows the film a robust three-day period to create a box office buzz. A successful initial collection often augments a film's long-term performance at the ticket counters. For major stars or films debuting around a significant holiday, earlier releases, such as those on Wednesdays or Thursdays, can optimize audience attendance. For instance, Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback film 'Pathaan' capitalized on Republic Day.
This major movie was strategically released on a Wednesday, allowing it to benefit from a longer initial revenue period by including five days’ worth of collection in its opening weekend tally, aligning with the Republic Day national holiday. This resulted in a flood of viewership on the day. Therefore, releasing on Wednesdays or Thursdays can, for many films, bolster revenue. Among Salman’s four Eid blockbusters that crossed the 100-crore threshold in their first weekends, three launched on a Wednesday, with 'Race 3' being the lone Friday release.
For 'Sikandar,' the makers opted for Sunday, March 30, aligned perfectly with the Eid holiday on the 31st. The holiday spirit around Eid is expected to create a viewing frenzy as it blends seamlessly with Sunday festivities, ensuring a packed audience turnout. And Monday, being the Eid holiday, offers additional crowd-pulling promise. Eid celebrations traditionally last three days, thus the decision to launch on Sunday aims to harness the extended festival cheer up to Wednesday. However, with work resuming on Tuesday, the practicality of sustained audience turnout might dwindle significantly during the afternoon shows, potentially affecting audience volume during non-holiday hours.
Source: aajtak
Had 'Sikandar' taken the traditional Friday release path, it could have enjoyed the initial three-day weekend revenue before harnessing Monday’s Eid festivities. The Eid celebrations, the very target of the Sunday release strategy, would have offered more benefit if tied with a Friday launch. However, if the film receives a lukewarm response, audiences would be forewarned of its potential shortcomings by Friday, thereby mitigating any substantial gains during Eid. This inherent risk might have prompted 'Sikandar’s' creators to adopt a Sunday release as a strategic, albeit cautious, choice.
The fundamental question now is whether 'Sikandar', if it underperforms, can indeed leverage its Eid release to secure success. Conversely, will a strong performance on Sunday match the possible gains of a Friday or earlier release? Cinemagoers alone hold the answer to these questions, but it’s certain the Sunday release aligns as a defensive business strategy.
