Ajay Devgn's Son Of Sardaar 2 Struggles For Screens As Saiyaara And Mahavatar Narsimha Create Theatre Frenzy

Mohit Suri's Saiyaara has taken the industry by surprise. The romantic drama, starring newcomer Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has turned into an unexpected hit – and a major headache for others at the box office. 

Saiyaara's success prompted Ajay Devgn to delay his comedy sequel Son of Sardaar 2 by a week, from July 25 to August 1, just to secure more screens. But the delay may not help much.

Despite the shift, Ajay Devgn's film is still struggling to get the number of shows it was hoping for, especially in single-screen theatres and smaller chains. PVRINOX, the distributor for Son of Sardaar 2, was reportedly aiming for 60% of total Indian screens. But according to The Indian Express, it may have to settle for just 35%.

A Pinkvilla report stated that PVRINOX has been pushing for at least four shows per day at single screens. But that is proving tough. Many theatres are choosing to continue with Saiyaara and another surprise performer, Mahavatar Narsimha – an animated mythological film from Hombale Films, the production house behind KGF and Kantara.

Released on July 18, Saiyaara is showing no signs of slowing down. It has already raked in Rs 266 crore in just 12 days, according to industry tracker Sacnilk. It is now the highest-grossing Hindi film led by debut actors. 

Meanwhile, Mahavatar Narsimha is also making its presence felt. As per another Sacnilk report, the film has collected Rs 29.26 crore in just five days. And things may get even more crowded this Friday.

Shazia Iqbal's Dhadak 2, headlined by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri, is going to release on August 1 – the same day as Son of Sardaar 2. While it is a sequel to the 2018 hit Dhadak, this one comes with a fresh cast and crew. 

Dharma Productions is taking a lean approach here, like they did with Kesari 2, by releasing Dhadak 2 in just 1,000 screens. If the word of mouth works, more screens could be added.

To attract audiences, both Son of Sardaar 2 and Dhadak 2 are offering 50% ticket discounts using select coupon codes.

But with Saiyaara still going strong and Mahavatar Narsimha holding its ground, it is clear the competition is not going to make things easy.