Dunki and Salaar Lock Horns at the Box Office: Shah Rukh Khan’s Film Takes on Prabhas’ Action-Packed Saga for Audience Attention

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for the release of his third film this year, following the success of “Pathaan” and “Jawan.” Titled “Dunki,” this movie marks the debut collaboration between the iconic actor and acclaimed filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, and it is scheduled to hit theaters on December 21. The advance ticket sales for the film commenced on Saturday and, within a day, the SRK-starrer has already amassed Rs 1.36 crore.

According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the first day of advance booking saw the sale of nearly 38,000 tickets for 2,836 Hindi shows. Despite this positive start, “Dunki” is expected to face stiff competition at the box office, as it coincides with the release of Prabhas and Prashanth Neel’s much-anticipated pan-India action film, “Salaar,” which is set to premiere on December 22. “Salaar” initiated its advance ticket sale on December 15 and has also achieved an impressive collection of Rs 1.52 crore.

Film trade analyst Sumit Kadel shared insights on the initial pre-sale performance of “Dunki,” expressing optimism about its potential. He mentioned on X, “Dunki Initial pre-sale starts on a remarkable note. Film has sold 10K + tickets at national chain multiplexes. Non-national chains showing good movement too. If the momentum continues, then Dunki will challenge top films of 2023 in terms of final advance booking. Next 3 days will give a clear picture.”

Shah Rukh Khan himself took to his X handle on Saturday, urging his fans to secure their tickets for “Dunki.” In a playful tone, he wrote, “Isse pehle ki Hardy cinemas mein pahoch jaaye…Aur saare shows houseful ho jaaye… Aap apni tickets book karlo! Kyun ki jab Hardy aur uske yaar ayenge, sabke dil Lutt Putt jayenge.”

In comparison to its predecessors, “Jawan” and “Pathaan,” “Dunki” has started relatively slow in terms of advance ticket sales. “Jawan” had managed to sell an impressive 2,00,454 tickets, amounting to Rs 6.84 crore, within less than 24 hours of ticket sales going live. Similarly, “Pathaan” had sold nearly 1.17 lakh tickets on the first day of advance booking across the three national cinema chains, despite its limited venue availability.

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“Dunki” features a stellar cast, including Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar, Anil Grover, and Boman Irani in pivotal roles. A week ahead of its release, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) granted the film a U/A certificate after its review on December 15. The film is set to run for 2 hours and 41 minutes. As the next three days unfold, they are expected to provide a clearer picture of “Dunki’s” box office performance.