Bollywood box office will start with a bang as 2026 starts with a new movie release hitting theatres on the very first day of the year. Sriram Raghavan’s war drama Ikkis arrives in cinemas on January 1, 2026, after being pushed by a week from its planned Christmas release. The delay was made to avoid clashing with the unstoppable box office run of Dhurandhar. However, early indicators suggest the extra time may not mean a stronger opening momentum for Ikkis.
Ikkis advance booking
As per trade reports, by 2pm on Wednesday, a day before release, Ikkis had sold a little over 30,000 tickets for its opening day. Advance bookings have just crossed the Rs 1 crore mark nationwide. Considering the scale and genre of the film, these numbers are on the lower side.
Trade trackers note that occupancy remains under 5 percent so far, with only three houseful shows reported out of nearly 3,600 shows across the country. Distributors are hoping for a late surge over the New Year holiday, driven by spot bookings.
Ikkis box office prediction
Based on current trends, Ikkis is expected to have a muted start at the domestic box office. Trade estimates suggest an opening in the range of Rs 2 crore net on Thursday. A worldwide opening of Rs 3–4 crore is being seen as an optimistic outcome at this stage.
Despite several single screens reducing shows of Dhurandhar to accommodate the new release, the Ranveer Singh-led film is still expected to outperform Ikkis on January 1. Now in its fourth week, Dhurandhar is projected to earn over Rs 10 crore on its 28th day in theatres. The fact that a nearly month-old film is likely to collect five times more than a fresh release highlights its exceptional hold at the box office.
All about Ikkis
Ikkis tells the story of 2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honour.Agastya Nanda plays the lead role of Arun, marking one of his most serious performances so far. The film also features Dharmendra in what is being billed as his final on-screen appearance. The legendary actor passed away last month, just weeks short of his 90th birthday.
Ikkis is releasing across approximately 4,000 screens in India on January 1.