The Dhurandhar wave shows no signs of fading, and its dominance is reshaping how other new releases are being screened across cinemas. Movies such as Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon 2, Avatar: Fire And Ash and the freshly released romcom Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri have seen their show counts and collections affected as exhibitors juggle screens in favour of the Ranveer Singh starrer.
Why Ikkis didn’t face the same squeeze
Ikkis, which releases tomorrow and stars Agastya Nanda alongside the late Dharmendra, has managed a smoother path to theatres. That’s largely because Jio Studios both produced and distributed the film — and they also handle Dhurandhar. With Dhurandhar already enjoying big business and moving into its fifth week on January 2, the distributor is comfortable sharing the footprint and has pushed for a substantial presence for Ikkis.
An exhibition source explains the plan: the distributor asked for roughly 30–40% showcasing for Ikkis. The show allocation requested varies by multiplex size:
- 2-screen cinemas: 4 shows
- 3-screen cinemas: 6 shows
- 4-screen multiplexes: 8 shows
- 5+ screen cinemas: 10+ shows
The same source added that early-morning shows have been avoided in single-screen and smaller multiplexes — likely because Ikkis is expected to grow gradually through word of mouth rather than opening-day rushes. Ticketing was also addressed: theatres have been told to keep prices at regular weekend rates, so viewers should find reasonably priced tickets for Ikkis.
How screens were reshuffled
The reshuffle is already visible in listings. In many single-screen theatres, Dhurandhar shows have been cut roughly in half — from four shows to two from tomorrow. Affected venues include:
- Gold Cinema Santacruz
- Chitra
- Plaza
- Roxy
- Citylight
- Star City
- MovieTime Dahisar
- Inox Nakshatra Dadar
- PVR Le Reve
- MovieTime Suburbia
- Gold Cinema Dadar
Meanwhile, Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri struggled to find space in some big G7 multiplex halls like Gaiety and Galaxy, ending up in smaller screens (a 228-seater Gemini and a 105-seater Gossip). Ironically, Ikkis will play four shows a day at the sprawling 819-seater Galaxy.
Single screens, regional choices and limited releases
In several single-screen venues the line-up looks like this: 2 shows of Dhurandhar, 2 shows of Ikkis and 1 show of the Marathi film Krantijyoti Vidyalay Marathi Madhyam, which stars Sachin Khedekar and marks Prajakta Koli’s Marathi debut. Some single screens will skip Ikkis entirely due to a limited-release strategy, while cinemas in certain mass-market pockets will continue to run more shows of Dhurandhar where it still draws big crowds.
There are also single-screen theatres in Mumbai — Anand, Kasturba, Gold Cinema Borivali and Gold Cinema Thane — where programming has been divided mainly between Dhurandhar and the Marathi film, reflecting local audience tastes.
Trade view and what to expect at the box office
Trade voices point out that Ikkis may have an edge in single-screen circuits where it can attract steady audiences, even if Tu Meri Main Tera… had wider romcom appeal. With Dhurandhar already proven and settling into later weeks, distributors could afford to be flexible and give Ikkis meaningful playtime in key houses.
What this means for the coming days: expect Dhurandhar to hold in areas where it’s a clear draw, while Ikkis will try to build momentum through decent screens, reasonable pricing and word of mouth. For audiences, it’s a good week — several distinct film choices across genres and languages are playing, so the final winners will be decided by how quickly viewers respond.