Like elsewhere in the world, fans in Ranchi and Jamshedpur are wrestling tickets for first day shows of Salman Khan-starrer Sultan, Bollywood's big Id release on Wednesday, the superstar's recent controversies be damned.
A beefed up, moustachioed Salman plays Haryana Ka Sher, wrestler Sultan Ali Khan, who fights personal triumphs and setbacks. Giving him company is spunky Anushka Sharma, whose appearance with Bhai in the chartbuster " Baby ko bass pasand hai," makes for some crackling chemistry in this Ali Abbas Zafar film produced by Aditya Chopra under his Yash Raj Films banner.
But, more crackling is Salman's chemistry with his fans. In Ranchi and Jamshedpur, authorities of multiplex and standalone movie halls have, without fail, said response for advance bookings were anywhere between "very encouraging" and "terrific".
"Our first show begins at 9.45am on Thursday. Movie buffs have shown tremendous interest in watching Sultan," said Ajit Chaudhary of Eylex Cinema at Hinoo, which would hold nine shows daily.
Dhruv Kushwaha, manager of Carnival Cinemas (formerly Glitz), a multiplex at JD Hi Street Mall on Main Road, agreed. Carnival will screen Sultan in all its three auditoriums and hold 14 shows daily. "Advance booking is around 50 per cent but is bound to rise," Kushwaha said on Tuesday morning.
"We haven't opened advance booking for all the shows yet but the tickets of the few we did sold out," said Kanak Sinha of Fun Cinemas, also at Hinoo, which would screen the film in all their three halls across 15 shows daily.
At Plaza Cinema, the 700-seater standalone hall going strong in Ranchi, four shows of Sultan will run from 10am. "Over 70 per cent tickets for the morning show is blocked," said an official at the counter.
In Jamshedpur, Eylex Fun n Films on NH-33 will run 12 shows while Mango-based Payal Cinema, a standalone favourite with 1,050 seats, will screen four shows.
Amrita Singh of Eylex said response had been tremendous, including on apps like BookMyShow. "The promos, trailers and songs are already hits," she said. C.L. Sharma, manager, Payal Cinema, couldn't hide his excitement. "We are all geared up for tomorrow (Wednesday). The buzz is strong. Over 450 tickets are gone before afternoon. It is a Bhai film after all," he said.
Ticket prices at plexes are around Rs 250 in both cities.
Arguably India's most bankable superstar, Salman Khan has given monster hits in the recent past like Wanted, Dabangg, Ek Tha Tiger, Prem Ratan Dhan Payo and Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
But, Sultan is not releasing without its share of controversies. Recently, Salman compared himself to a "raped woman" to describe his gruelling shooting regimen for the film, a distasteful case of foot-in-mouth at a time when sexual assault is rising in India.
Salman had said after the wrestling shoots, he would come out of the ring feeling like "a raped woman. I could not walk straight". The comment outraged many, including women's groups. Salman's father, scriptwriter Salim Khan, has apologised.
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