Sky Force 'block booking' tactics and false box office projections: Director REACTS on the accusations

Bollywood trade analyst Komal Nahta recently made shocking revelations about the alleged manipulation of box office figures for Sky Force, the Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya starrer produced by Maddock Films. In a detailed video on his YouTube channel, Nahta accused the film’s makers of using block booking tactics to inflate its box office numbers artificially. This claim has sparked widespread debate in the film industry, with Sky Force director Sandeep Kewlani stepping in to deny the allegations.

Responding to these allegations, Sky Force co-director Sandeep Kewlani dismissed the claims, insisting that the film’s earnings were entirely organic.

In an interview, Kewlani emphasized that box office numbers do not define a movie’s success in the long run. He argued that audience appreciation and the film’s lasting impact hold more significance than mere financial figures.

Our work is done once the film is released. Whether it earns Rs 100 crore or Rs 500 crore, that won’t matter five years from now. What remains is the love the audience has for the film, Kewlani stated. He further criticized the industry’s obsession with box office numbers, suggesting that a good film should be judged on its merit rather than its earnings.

Nahta, who has been tracking Bollywood box office numbers for years, claimed that Sky Force had seen an unprecedented level of block booking. According to his findings, the production house allegedly bought bulk tickets for its own screenings, making it seem like the movie was performing exceptionally well. Additionally, he exposed a strategy where audiences booking tickets through online platforms like BookMyShow were later refunded a significant amount, thereby inflating the reported revenue figures without real audience turnout.

The analyst further alleged that the film’s week-one earnings were reported at over Rs 80 crore, whereas the actual earnings were closer to Rs 40-50 crore. He called this a deceptive practice aimed at creating artificial hype to attract more viewers and bolster the film’s market standing.