Drishyam The Conclusion is still holding theatres in its third week, but the bigger test has shifted from audience demand to screen allocation. The film passed Rs 300 crore on Sunday, October 11, and trade expectations now sit at a minimum of Rs 375 crore, with an outside shot at Rs 400 crore.
What the distributor wants from October 16
Panorama Studios, which is distributing the Ajay Devgn-starrer, has asked cinemas to protect the film’s show count from October 16. A trade source speaking to Bollywood Hungama laid out the request screen by screen:
- Single-screen cinemas: at least 3 shows
- Two-screen cinemas: 5 shows
- Three-screen cinemas: 6 shows, including 1 morning show
- Four-screen multiplexes: 7 shows, including 1 morning show
- Five-screen multiplexes: 8 shows, including 1 morning show
- Six-screen cinemas: 10 shows
- Seven screens or more: 15 shows
That is not a residual-run request. It is a blockbuster-week hold demand, and it puts the title directly against the new slate.
A crowded Friday makes the ask harder
Exhibitors are weighing the demand against Nayyi Navelli, Prahaar, Street Fighter, Jailer 2 and Ranabaali, all set to open this week. Jailer 2 and Ranabaali will also release in Hindi, which makes them direct competitors for the same multiplex and single-screen audiences.
Several cinemas have not yet opened advance bookings for the coming week. The trade source said a resolution could arrive by Wednesday morning or evening, or slip to Thursday, just ahead of the new releases. That uncertainty shrinks the marketing and booking window for the incoming films.
Why the screen fight matters
The dispute is a useful reminder that a box office fight in week 3 is often about shelf space, not popularity. A film can have strong weekday holds and still lose screens if its distributor cannot negotiate fixed quotas. Here, the distributor is using the Rs 300 crore milestone as leverage, while exhibitors are protecting launch slots for new titles.
Week 3 show retention is a distribution signal. If Drishyam The Conclusion keeps 6 to 15 shows in key multiplexes while new titles slot into the remainder, it tells the trade that Panorama Studios is running hard for Rs 400 crore rather than letting the film taper off. The offer to sell tickets at regular prices gives exhibitors a reason to agree: fuller shows at standard rates can defend per-screen revenue while new releases take the prime-time risk.
For media planners and film-business teams, the play is to track the final split, not just the collections. The screen count that survives negotiation will show how much confidence exhibitors still have in the title, and how much breathing room the new releases actually get.
Source: Bollywood Hungama
