Dunki, the upcoming Bollywood release, has created a significant buzz even before hitting the screens, with pre-sales reaching impressive numbers. Seven days prior to its release, the film has already amassed over USD 300K for the Thursday opening, and the weekend projections exceed USD 500K. Remarkably, the pre-sales figures position Dunki as the third-best of the year, trailing behind only two other Shah Rukh Khan starrers, Jawan and Pathaan.
The genre seems to play a pivotal role in the pre-sales rankings. Action films like Jawan and Pathaan inherently command higher initial value, whereas Dunki, a comedy-drama, is anticipated to have a more backloaded sales pattern. Interestingly, despite being a mid-week release, Dunki has surpassed the pre-sales of other major releases like Tiger 3 and Animal. The latter, however, witnessed a substantial surge in interest after the release of its trailer, making the final standings a potential close competition.
Geographically, the United States emerges as the largest contributor to Dunki’s sales, accounting for over USD 120K by the end of Wednesday. Notably, Australia and Canada have responded exceptionally well, reaching approximately 80% of Jawan’s sales at a similar point in time. The film’s setting in Punjab might explain this phenomenon, given the substantial Punjabi diaspora presence in these markets. While the Middle East shows comparatively lower sales, the genre’s impact is expected to be more pronounced in this region.
With eyes set on the Thursday release, Dunki is poised for a strong start, aiming for a USD 2.50 million plus opening, potentially exceeding USD 3 million on the high end. If the film receives a favorable reception, the four-day weekend could see earnings surpassing USD 15 million. Furthermore, with the Christmas-New Year window beginning on Monday, a lucrative period for the box office, Dunki has the potential to sustain strong numbers even on weekdays. As 2023 unfolds, the film appears to be positioning itself as another blockbuster for Shah Rukh Khan.
