Yash Raj Films’ Pathaan records the biggest box office opening ever for a Hindi film in Saudi Arabia
• Distributed by VOX Cinemas and Yash Raj Films, Pathaan marks Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s return to the big screen after four years
• The high-octane action thriller has amassed more than 67,000 admissions, making it the biggest opening weekend in Saudi Arabia this year
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 29 January 2023: VOX Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, is proud to report that Yash Raj Films’ Pathaan has broken box office records to become the highest-grossing Hindi film in Saudi Arabia. The action thriller sold an impressive 26,159 tickets on opening day, 67,428 tickets over the opening weekend (three days), and a total of 88,840 tickets (including Wednesday), marking the biggest opening weekend in Saudi Arabia so far this year.
Pathaan marks Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback after a four-year hiatus and has been one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2023. It has been released theatrically in over 100 countries, making it the widest release ever for an Indian film internationally. Produced by Yash Raj Films, Pathaan is being distributed across Saudi Arabia by VOX Cinemas and Yash Raj Films.
“Pathaan has enjoyed a blockbuster opening weekend, breaking box office records for a Hindi film in Saudi Arabia. Since advance tickets went on sale, the response has been tremendous, and it is well on its way to becoming the highest-grossing film ever across the Kingdom”, said Toni El Massih, Managing Director, Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas. He added, “The success of this much-awaited action thriller marks a solid start for the 2023 box office and signals the bounce-back of Hindi-language films following the pandemic.”
Nelson D’Souza, Vice President, International Distribution, added, “Pathaan is breaking records and setting new ones globally, and we are thrilled that the film has become the biggest opening Hindi film ever in Saudi Arabia! The film promises a theatrical experience like never before and we are ecstatic that the film is entertaining audiences in Saudi Arabia. YRF’s Spy Franchise is currently the biggest franchise coming out of India, and with Pathaan, it has only grown in strength and the numbers in Saudi Arabia and across the world validate this.”
Majid Al Futtaim has been operating a regional film distribution business since 2018. In just over five years, it has established itself as one of the largest film distributors in the MENA region and acts as an independent distributor as well as working with major film studios. In 2022, it enjoyed great success with the movies it distributed including Al Kameen (The Ambush), which cemented its position as the most successful Emirati and Arabic-language move ever in the UAE, Bergen, the most successful Turkish movie in the Middle East and 3amohom, which enjoyed the biggest box office opening ever for an Arabic movie in Saudi Arabia.
Pathaan is an adrenaline-pumping action entertainer and visual spectacle. It has been directed by Siddharth Anand and is produced by Aditya Chopra. It features a stellar cast including megastars of Indian cinema Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. It is the fourth instalment of YRF’s Spy Universe!
Pathaan is currently showing across cinemas in the MENA region in Hindi with English and Arabic subtitles. For more information or to make a booking visit www.voxcinemas.com.
