Dhurandhar vs Avatar: Fire And Ash Showdown: Single-Screen and Two-Screen Cinemas Delay Bookings Over ‘All Shows’ Demand
The biggest Hollywood release of the year, Avatar: Fire And Ash, is set to hit theaters tomorrow, Friday, December 19. Although advance bookings began on December 5, many cinemas—especially single-screen and two-screen venues—have yet to start ticket sales. Bollywood Hungama spoke with trade and exhibition insiders to uncover the reasons behind this delay.
A trade source revealed, “Disney, the studio behind Avatar: Fire And Ash, has insisted that single-screen theaters allocate all shows exclusively to their film. For two-screen cinemas, they demand 5 to 6 shows dedicated to Avatar. However, exhibitors are hesitant because Dhurandhar is performing strongly, even in its third week. The Ranveer Singh starrer continues to draw steady weekday crowds, and exhibitors want to balance the shows between both films.”
The source added, “The exhibitors proposed splitting showtimes evenly between Dhurandhar and Avatar: Fire And Ash since both are expected to pull audiences. Disney has not agreed to this, but negotiations are ongoing, and a compromise is anticipated soon.”As of the morning of December 18, numerous single-screen theaters in Mumbai—including Gold Cinema Santacruz, Chitra Dadar, Roxy Opera House, Maratha Mandir, Kasturba Malad, Citylight Mahim, Inox Nakshatra Dadar, MovieTime Star City, New Excelsior, and others—had not yet opened bookings for December 19.Similar delays are seen in two-screen cinemas such as Sun City Vile Parle, Mukta A2 Cinemas Lalbaug, Topiwala Goregaon, PVR Milap Kandivali, and Movietime Malad.
Surprisingly, even some three-screen venues like Sterling, MovieMax Mira Road, and MovieMax Sion, as well as four-screen properties such as Miraj R Mall Mulund, Inox Raghuleela Kandivali, PVR Odeon Ghatkopar, Inox Korum Mall Thane, MovieMax SM5 Kalyan, and MovieMax Wonder Mall Thane, have yet to fully start ticket sales for both films from December 19 onwards.
At Mumbai’s iconic G7 complex (Gaiety-Galaxy), advance bookings are open in four theaters, but Galaxy and Gemini cinemas have not yet begun. Dhurandhar will continue screening at Gaiety with three shows daily from December 19. Until December 18, it was shown in both Gaiety and Galaxy. It remains to be seen whether Avatar: Fire And Ash will be allocated to Galaxy, Gemini, or both, and if Dhurandhar will receive additional shows at G7’s other cinemas.
