'We believe these five days should get roughly about 5 to 5.5 million people or more into the cinemas.'
It has been a lacklustre year for theatre owners and the film industry this year so far, with only Kalki, the lavishly mounted science fiction film starring Prabhas setting the box office on fire.
Theatres are now hopeful that the long weekend beginning with the Independence Day holiday will orchestrate a turnaround and set the cash registers ringing.
August 15 saw three Bollywood films releasing, which include Stree 2, along with John Abraham's Vedaa and Khel Khel Mein.
Thangalaan, a Tamil language action adventure, also released on Thursday.
"These five days are going to be very strong for the (movie) business," Gautam Dutta, CEO, revenue and operations at PVR INOX told Business Standard.
"We believe that these five days should get roughly about 5 to 5.5 million people or more into the cinemas," he added.
Stree 2 topped the sales for advance bookings this weekend, with PVR INOX expecting this film to generate about Rs 35 crore to Rs 40 crore (Rs 350 million to Rs 400 million) on the opening day.
"This advantage stems from the franchise's established popularity among audiences, as the original film, Stree, was a significant success," said Devang Sampat, managing director at Cinepolis India.
The recent trend of horror comedies, exemplified by hits like Munjya, has further solidified this genre's appeal in the northern market.
Entertainment platform BookMyShow expects Stree 2 and Double iSmart to have a slight edge due to their existing fan bases and strong franchise value.
"Initial indicators suggest the potential for a great weekend," Ashish Saksena, COO-Cinemas, BookMyShow said.
"The combination of a beloved franchise and a genre that resonates well with the audience makes Stree 2 a strong contender," Sampat added.
In the south, Thangalaan has generated the maximum number of ticket sales, Cinepolis said.
"Given the strength of the films and the festive atmosphere, we anticipate this year's figures to either match or surpass those of last year," said Sanjeev Kumar, executive director of PVR Inox.
These films have a stiff task in front of them.
Last year, Independence Day emerged as one of the biggest holidays for the box office business with record collections for Gadar 2, OMG 2, the Rajinikanth starrer Jailer and the Telugu film Bhola Shankar.
The Independence Day weekend has historically been a blockbuster period for the film industry, consistently drawing large audiences.
This trend has continued to strengthen post-pandemic, as evidenced by the phenomenal success of movies like Pathaan and Gadar 2, both of which grossed over Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) last year.
These results underline the growing importance of holiday weekends for the industry, as they not only offer a surge in viewership but also help revive and sustain the momentum of cinema-going culture, Sampat explained.
To cater to the audience for this busy movie weekend, PVR Inox has prepared its multiplexes with special promotions, themed décor, and snacks.
