Exhibitors Cut Avatar Shows for Kartik Aaryan’s Christmas Release
In a major shift for India’s box office, theater owners are making a decisive choice for the lucrative Christmas 2025 holiday. They are significantly reducing screenings for the Hollywood giant Avatar: Fire and Ash to make room for the Bollywood romantic comedy Tu Meri Main Tera, starring Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday. This move highlights the growing power of local stars and audience demand in shaping cinema schedules.
A Surprising Turn in the Holiday Showdown
The Christmas period is traditionally a battleground for big film releases. This year, the competition was set between James Cameron’s long-awaited Avatar sequel and Kartik Aaryan’s light-hearted film. However, trade reports confirm a surprising development. Exhibitors, who run the cinema chains, have begun cutting approximately 30% of Avatar: Fire and Ash shows specifically on Christmas Day. This reduction is to accommodate more screenings for the Kartik Aaryan film.
The decision came after strong pressure from the stakeholders behind Tu Meri Main Tera. The film’s distributor, Jio Star Studios, which also handles Avatar for Disney in India, granted permission for this change. This flexibility indicates that the demand for the Bollywood film is too significant for theaters to ignore. The process has already started at independent cinema chains across the country.
Why Exhibitors Are Betting on Bollywood
Industry experts point to clear reasons for this shift. Exhibitors are described as bullish on Tu Meri Main Tera. They see it as a “happy film” featuring a popular young star, perfectly suited for family outings during the Christmas and New Year holidays. Kartik Aaryan has built a massive following among Indian youth, who are expected to drive a strong opening day for his movie.
The audience demand is ultimately driving programming decisions. Reports suggest that Avatar: Fire and Ash has not performed as strongly as expected at the Indian box office since its release. In contrast, the anticipation for a festive Bollywood romance with familiar stars is creating more buzz. Theater owners are responding directly to what they believe their customers want to see during the holiday season.
Contrast with Another Blockbuster
This treatment stands in sharp contrast to another major film currently in theaters. The blockbuster Dhurandhar continues to rule the box office. For Christmas Day, Jio Studios has not permitted any reduction in shows for this film. Exhibitors are strictly adhering to their original screening commitments for Dhurandhar.
This difference underscores a key point. Exhibitors are not simply reducing all Hollywood films. They are making calculated choices based on real-time performance and anticipated demand. The strong hold for Dhurandhar shows that content which resonates deeply with Indian audiences will always secure prime screen space, even against other big releases.
The Christmas Day show cuts represent a significant victory for Kartik Aaryan and the team behind Tu Meri Main Tera. It signals that in the competitive Indian market, local star power and culturally tailored stories can challenge global cinematic juggernauts. The final box office numbers will reveal if the exhibitors’ bet on Bollywood over Hollywood pays off for the holiday season.
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