Shah Rukh Khan’s cinematic journey through 2023 has been a tale of two extremes. While his global hits ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’ soared to unprecedented heights, crossing the coveted 1000 crore mark, the narrative took a different turn with his third venture, ‘Dunki,’ which faced a more subdued opening day.
Dunki fails to make a mark like Jawan and Pathaan
Directed by the maestro Rajkumar Hirani, ‘Dunki’ marked its entry into the cinematic arena with a decent Rs 30 crore nett in the domestic market, securing its position as the seventh highest opener of the year. However, the film found itself in the shadow of its peers, notably ‘Jawan,’ which set the bar high with a staggering Rs 75 crore debut. The roster of formidable openers in 2023 includes cinematic juggernauts such as ‘Animal,’ ‘Pathaan,’ ‘Tiger 3,’ ‘Gadar 2,’ and ‘Adipurush,’ with the latter amassing Rs 36 crore on its opening day.
Insights from the industry tracker Sacnilk unveiled a nuanced picture, depicting ‘Dunki’ maintaining an overall occupancy rate of 29.94%, with the National Capital Region (NCR) claiming a slightly higher 31% occupancy, while Mumbai recorded a commendable 29.75% occupancy.
As the cinematic calendar unfolds, ‘Dunki’ now prepares for a formidable clash with ‘Salaar,’ an eagerly anticipated cinematic spectacle featuring Prabhas and Prithviraj Sukumaran, helmed by the accomplished Prashanth Neel. ‘Salaar’ is poised for a robust start, eyeing an ambitious Rs 60 crore collection at the domestic box office, setting the stage for a captivating face-off among Bollywood’s blockbuster contenders. The audience awaits the unfolding drama, anticipating a thrilling showdown as these cinematic giants vie for supremacy on the silver screen.
