Exhibitors are not waiting for the first show reports. For Drishyam The Conclusion, several cinemas opened post-midnight bookings on October 1, a day before the Ajay Devgn-led thriller releases on October 2.
The move is earlier than the franchise’s previous cycle. In November 2022, Drishyam 2 saw post-midnight and early morning shows added mainly in the second half of opening day. This time, supply is being added on the strength of Day 1 advances alone.
Early inventory, not a late reaction
The advanced scheduling is visible across Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad. In Mumbai and nearby areas, post-midnight shows have been listed at PVR Lower Parel, Cinepolis Seawoods, Metro Inox, Inox R City Ghatkopar, Maxus Borivali, Inox Malad, PVR Oberoi Mall Goregaon, PVR Phoenix Market City Kurla, PVR Juhu and several other cinemas. Pune and Ahmedabad chains are also adding shows.
Maxus Bhayander has gone further. The cinema has scheduled shows at 12:35 am, 1:05 am, 2:05 am, 3:05 am, 4:05 am and 5:05 am, effectively running the film through the night.
The demand signals for release planners
- Pre-release post-midnight shows: supply is being expanded before the first show, not after walk-ins are observed.
- Round-the-clock scheduling: one Mumbai-area cinema is programming six overnight showtimes.
- Event-title pricing: exhibition sources say cinemas have been asked to price tickets on par with Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dhurandhar The Revenge.
More cinemas are expected to add post-midnight shows through the day if advance booking holds.
Why this matters
For media planners and entertainment marketers, the pattern is a real-time demand indicator. When theatres create inventory a day early and hold premium pricing, it signals that advance sales are strong enough to justify both higher supply and higher prices. The exhibitor is treating the title less like a regular Bollywood release and more like an event film with a short, high-intent window.
The benchmark is also notable. The source reports that pricing has been aligned to Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dhurandhar The Revenge, two titles positioned as big-ticket draws. If that pricing holds without dampening occupancy, the opening-day collections will likely follow. If not, exhibitors may have over-read the advance data.
What to follow next
The next data point is opening-day occupancy and collections. Watch whether theatres keep adding post-midnight inventory after the first shows, and whether premium pricing is maintained or adjusted. That will reveal whether this was a genuine sell-through signal or just aggressive scheduling.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com
