Mumbai: Even as Eid historically belonged to big-event cinema, the last four years have shown that the festival alone does not guarantee box-office success anymore. The success of movies depends on content scale, theatrical momentum, and screen availability. Because of this, the industry is closely monitoring the success of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’.
There were no major hits on Box office over the last four years on Eid. Expectations are high that ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ might break the jinx and become a major hit this time, if the film delivers strong content and scale. There have not been major hits after opening on Eid due to various reasons, including the Covid pandemic to changing audience behaviour.
In 2021, the Eid window was impacted due to the COVID pandemic, with all cinema halls shut. Because of this, there was no theatrical release that year. Next year, markets will still be recovering from the post-COVID pandemic. While films like Runway 34 and Heropanti 2 were released, both underperformed, earning Rs 56 cr and Rs 37.5 cr worldwide, respectively, at the box office.
The year 2023 saw the release of Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, which earned Rs 164 crore worldwide, but still fell short of the blockbuster scale historically associated with Eid releases. Movies like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Maidaan, which were released in 2024, earned Rs 105 crore and Rs 70 crore, respectively, indicating a soft festival window. While Sikandar performed better last year, it still did not reach the historic Eid blockbuster benchmark, with approximately Rs 169 crore worldwide.
‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ may surpass box office record
Speaking to RV9 Network, Suniel Wadhwa, Co-Founder and Director, Karmic Films, said, “The last four Eid cycles haven’t delivered a true blockbuster. The pandemic disrupted the 2021 window, and since then, the films released during Eid have largely performed below the historic benchmarks associated with the festival.”
He added, “If Dhurandhar: The Revenge connects with audiences, it will not only break this four-year trend but could also surpass the box-office record of its own predecessor, Dhurandhar. That would effectively restore Eid as a major theatrical event window.”
Pointing Eid window has not delivered a true blockbuster over the last four years, he added, “ The movie ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ is generating strong early traction across the trade. If the film connects with audiences, it has the potential to reverse the recent underperformance of Eid releases while also surpassing the benchmark set by its predecessor Dhurandhar, which crossed Rs 900+ crore in India and approximately Rs 1,250–1,300 crore worldwide. That would be a significant moment both for the franchise and for restoring Eid as a major theatrical event corridor.”