The upcoming Telugu action entertainer Ustaad Bhagat Singh, starring Pawan Kalyan, is witnessing a slower-than-expected advance booking trend in the United States.
The film was initially expected to register one of the biggest premieres of the year in North America, with early trade predictions suggesting that the film could open with around $1.5 million in premiere collections. However, the current advance booking numbers indicate that the momentum has not matched those expectations.
Pre-Sales Stuck Around $200K
Advance bookings for the film opened a few days ago and the initial response appeared promising. But the pace of ticket sales slowed down over the following days, preventing the film from building strong momentum.
At present, North America premiere pre-sales are hovering around $200,000, which trade observers consider relatively low for a film of this scale and star power.
Trailer Fails To Trigger A Booking Surge
Industry watchers were expecting the film’s trailer to create a major boost in overseas ticket sales. Trailer launches often play a significant role in increasing audience interest, especially in international markets.
However, despite the trailer release, advance bookings did not witness the expected jump. This situation is somewhat similar to the early overseas trends seen with OG, another film starring Pawan Kalyan, which also relied heavily on promotional boosts to improve its North American pre-sales.
Final Days Critical For Box Office Momentum
With only a few days left before the theatrical release, the film now needs a significant surge in bookings to reach a respectable premiere total.
Based on the current trend, trade analysts estimate that the film might open with around $750,000 in North America premieres, unless a sudden spike in bookings occurs during the final days.
High Expectations Despite Slow Start
Despite the slow advance booking trend, expectations remain high due to the film’s strong fan following and festive release timing. The movie is directed by Harish Shankar, who previously collaborated with Pawan Kalyan on the blockbuster Gabbar Singh.
As the release date approaches, trade experts are closely monitoring booking patterns across the United States and Canada to see whether the film can regain momentum and deliver a strong opening weekend.