Nepal’s Movie Theaters Prepare for 23-Hour Showings of Pushpa 2

The long-awaited film Pushpa 2 is not only making waves in India but is also generating significant excitement in Nepal. Following the success of the first installment in Nepal, expectations for the sequel are sky-high. With advance ticket bookings opening on Monday, it is clear that Pushpa 2 is poised for a massive opening in Nepal, with projections indicating the film will rake in around three crore rupees on its first day. Over 500 shows are already planned, signaling strong demand.

Some cinemas are going all out by offering screenings for up to 23 hours a day. For instance, Big Movies in Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu, is screening the film from 4:15 AM to 11:55 PM. Due to its 3-hour 15-minute runtime, including ads and a break, viewers at the late-night show won't leave until 3:25 AM the following morning, meaning the theater will only close for 50 minutes in a full 24-hour cycle.

The demand is so high that most theaters have shows scheduled from 5 AM to 11:45 PM, and by Thursday morning, nearly 70% of shows are already sold out. With such high advance sales, the film is expected to sell out nearly all shows by Wednesday evening. The overwhelming demand is likely to cause a ticket shortage on Thursday, leading to a record-breaking opening in Nepal.

Pushpa 2 was brought to Nepal at a cost of 4 crore Indian rupees (approximately 6 crore 40 lakh Nepali rupees). To recover this amount, the film must earn at least 18 crore rupees in total. Given the strong buzz and good reviews, this target is well within reach, and it may even exceed expectations. Several foreign films have earned over 22 crore rupees in Nepal, and based on the current enthusiasm, Pushpa 2 could hit the 20 crore mark in no time.

The overwhelming success of Pushpa 2 means that no Nepali films will be able to compete in the first week of its release. Many theaters will replace their current lineups with Pushpa 2, though Purnabahadur Ko Sarangi will remain in some theaters. However, the film's potential to reach its target of 50 crore rupees now seems unlikely due to the dominance of Pushpa 2 in the Nepali market.