Aamir Khan’s Bold Gamble: Ek Din Opens Advance Bookings 39 Days Early; Raipur Leads Surprising Surge
In a move that has left the industry buzzing, producer Aamir Khan has deployed a radical new release strategy for his upcoming production, Ek Din. On March 23, moviegoers were stunned to find tickets already available for the May 1, 2026, release—a staggering 39 days before the film hits theaters.
While advance bookings typically open only a few days prior to release, this unconventional move appears to be a calculated experiment from the Aamir Khan Productions playbook.
A Nationwide “Soft” Launch
Despite minimal promotional fanfare regarding the ticket sales, Ek Din—which stars Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi—is currently selling tickets in nearly 20 cities across India. Most participating cinemas have initially opened sales for just a single show per day.
The distribution of early screens includes:
- Delhi-NCR: 24 screens
- Mumbai: 11 screens
- Chandigarh & Pune: 3 screens each
- Single-Screen Openings: Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Patna, and more.
Raipur Emerges as the Top Performer
While the film is tailored for an urban, multiplex audience, the early data suggests significant curiosity in “B” centers. The biggest surprise has come from Raipur, which is currently outperforming major metros in early sales.
As of 8:00 AM today, April 11, the sales figures show strong early momentum:
- PVR City Center, Raipur: 46 tickets sold (Top performing cinema)
- PVR Palladium Mall, Ahmedabad: 37 tickets sold
- Inox Orion Mall, Gorakhpur: 18 tickets sold
- Mumbai & Delhi-NCR: Averaging 20 tickets per cinema
The “Aamir Khan” Effect
As of today, more than 520 tickets have been booked nationwide. This early traction is particularly notable because it has been achieved with almost zero active marketing.
Aamir Khan has a long-standing reputation for disrupting Bollywood’s traditional release cycles. By opening bookings nearly 40 days in advance, he is testing the “long-tail” anticipation for a film that relies on performance and storytelling rather than typical front-loaded action. If this strategy proves successful, it could redefine how mid-budget, content-driven films are marketed in the future.
