The Independence Day weekend is shaping up for an interesting box office battle as Sunny Deol’s ‘Batwara 1947’ and Emraan Hashmi’s ‘Awarapan 2’ prepare to arrive in cinemas. With only two days remaining before their releases, advance booking trends have started providing an early indication of the audience response to both films.According to trade tracker Sacnilk, ‘Awarapan 2’ is currently ahead of ‘Batwara 1947’ in terms of advance bookings for the opening day.As per the latest figures, ‘Awarapan 2’ has collected Rs 2.05 crore from advance bookings, with 62,431 tickets sold across 3,684 shows. These figures exclude blocked seats. Once blocked seats are taken into account, the film’s gross advance booking collection stands at Rs 3.51 crore.Delhi-NCR has emerged as the strongest market for ‘Awarapan 2’, contributing Rs 51.44 lakh through ticket sales, excluding blocked seats. Mumbai follows with Rs 29.84 lakh, while Pune and Bengaluru have registered advance sales worth Rs 8.85 lakh and Rs 7.18 lakh, respectively.Meanwhile, ‘Batwara 1947’ is currently trailing the Emraan Hashmi-starrer in advance bookings. The Sunny Deol film has earned Rs 53.21 lakh from 18,109 tickets sold across 3,477 shows, with blocked seats excluded from the figure.Including blocked seats, the total gross advance booking collection for ‘Batwara 1947’ rises to Rs 1.61 crore.Among the major markets, Delhi-NCR has recorded the highest advance booking contribution for ‘Batwara 1947’, with Rs 14.55 lakh in ticket sales. Mumbai has followed with Rs 7.28 lakh, while Pune and Bengaluru have contributed Rs 1.29 lakh and Rs 54,910, respectively. These figures exclude blocked seats.The early numbers put ‘Awarapan 2’ in a stronger position ahead of the box office clash. The sequel to the 2007 film ‘Awarapan’ has generated considerable interest over the years, with the original developing a cult following after its theatrical run. Its music and emotional storyline have also contributed to its lasting popularity among viewers.‘Batwara 1947’, meanwhile, marks Sunny Deol’s reunion with filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi. The duo previously collaborated on acclaimed films including ‘Ghayal’, ‘Damini’ and ‘Ghatak’ in the 1990s, adding to the anticipation surrounding their latest project.While advance booking figures currently favour ‘Awarapan 2’, the final opening-day performance could still depend heavily on walk-in audiences and spot bookings. With both films releasing during the Independence Day period, their box office performance over the extended weekend will provide a clearer picture of which film ultimately wins the clash.
