Starring the always-popular Akshay Kumar, the much awaited Bollywood flick “Sarfira,” has at last opened theatres. Based on G. R. Gopinath’s memoir, ” Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey,” directed by Sudha Kongara, the film chronicles the path of a man set to establish reasonably priced airlines for low-income people, surmounted by many challenges. Key roles in the movie also go to Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal, Seema Biswas, and R. Sarathkumar.
Given an anticipated Rs 80 crore budget, “Sarfira” represents a large outlay of funds. But Kamal Haasan’s “Indian 2” poses fierce competition, which makes the box office fight all the more fascinating. Early reviews show varied responses: some praise Akshay Kumar’s emotionally driven performance while others fault the way the movie is shot.
With Rs 22.4 lakhs in first 24 hours, “Sarfira” exceeded the first ticket sales of Akshay Kumar’s last movie, “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,” which sold around 9,500 tickets. Still, early estimates point to an opening around Rs 3 crore. “Sarfira” must make at least Rs 90-100 crore domestically to be deemed successful.
Especially worrying is the case involving prior reservations. By noon on July 11, “Sarfira” sold just 1,800 tickets across top multiplex chains like PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis, according Bollywood Hungama. This number is far lower than other recent releases, notably “Ishq Vishk Rebound,” which highlighted newbies and sold 12,000 tickets. Comparatively, “Selfiee” sold 8,200 tickets and “Mission Raniganj” sold 6,600 tickets. Given a film featuring a big Bollywood celebrity, these low pre-sale figures are concerning.
Financially, “Sarfira” has made Rs 30.37 lakh in advance bookings; blocked tickets take the total to Rs 63.42 lakh. With Rs 13.01 lakh Maharashtra leads in collections; Gujarat follows with Rs 10.63 lakh; and Madhya Pradesh with Rs 5.77 lakh. Along with major cities including Mumbai, Pune, Gandhinagar, and Hyderabad, major contributions to the total came from
Emphasising the goals of a normal man trying to start his own airline, “Sarfira” promises a poignant and dramatic story. The movie’s first reception and box office results point to a difficult road ahead even with its great premise and star-studded ensemble. The Bollywood business is closely observing since the success or failure of “Sarfira” could affect next big-budget productions featuring well-known performers.
Audiences are keen to watch which movie will triumph as the box office struggle between “Sarfira” and “Indian 2 unfolds.” Will Akshay Kumar’s star power and the emotional depth of the movie help to overcome its slow beginning or will it fall short of expectations? Only time will determine.
