Theatres open early morning, late night shows of Brahmastra amid 'huge demand', film running for 21 hours in some halls

With Brahmastra registering a bumper opening, demand for tickets of IMAX and 3D shows of the film has increased, prompting theatres to increase shows and running the film for 21 hours in some halls.

Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra has made a strong start at the box office. As per trade sources, the film has earned somewhere in excess of ₹60 crore globally, with over ₹40 crore from India alone. These are easily the highest numbers for any Hindi film post-pandemic. With many shows going houseful, theatres in many major centres have now opened early morning and late night shows to keep up with the increased demands.

Ranbir Kapoor in a still from Brahmastra.

On Saturday, some Twitter users shared screenshots of theatres in Delhi opening shows as early as 6am and as late as midnight for the film’s IMAX version. Other theatres in Mumbai and several other major centres have also started early morning and late night shows, largely in IMAX and 3D. Confirming the development, an exhibitor tells Hindustan Times, “Many shows in the IMAX version went houseful on Friday. Sunday shows are already almost sold out in many halls. That’s why, we decided to increase shows.” New shows mean that the film will run in some screens for almost 21 hours, starting at 6am and ending the next morning at 3am, with seven back-to-back shows.

Exhibitors, however, add that this is a temporary measure and may last only for the weekend, and that too only in IMAX and 3D, which have fewer shows as compared to the 2D version. “After the initial praise of 3D and VFX, many would want to watch the film in IMAX and 3D, which is why there is a huge demand for it. But it is likely to decrease after the weekend. We’ll see if we still want to keep morning shows after Monday,” says a Mumbai exhibitor.

Brahmastra, which stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna, and Mouni Roy, is part one of a planned trilogy. The fantasy epic opened to mixed reviews with critics praising the VFX and action, but criticising the plot and pacing. According to a BoxOfficeIndia.com report, the film’s Hindi version earned ₹35 crore on Friday, with a further earning of ₹9 crore from the dubbed versions. Early estimates say the film is predicted to cross ₹200 crore worldwide in its first weekend.