The box office collection of Sky Force, starring Akshay Kumar, has been a topic of debate ever since trade analyst Komal Nahta accused the film’s makers of artificially inflating its earnings through a practice known as “block booking.” Komal made similar accusations against another Maddock Films production, Chhaava, which features Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna.
In a recent video, Komal claimed that the makers of Sky Force resorted to booking out entire theaters to boost the movie’s box office numbers. Block booking involves a production house or actor purchasing multiple tickets for their own film, often to create the illusion of higher demand.
Director’s Defense
In response to the accusations, Sky Force director Sandeep Kewlani has firmly denied the allegations. Speaking in an interview with News18, Sandeep dismissed the claims, saying that both Sky Force and Chhaava have seen “genuine organic collections” without any manipulation. He emphasized that box office numbers are short-lived and don’t define the success or impact of a film.
He added, “Once a film reaches the audience, our job is done. How much money a movie makes doesn’t matter in the long run. If you ask someone about the box office numbers of a classic film like Munna Bhai, they won’t remember. It’s the emotional impact and how long the film stays with you that counts.”
Sandeep argued that focusing too much on box office earnings is a recent trend pushed by trade experts. “If a film earns ₹300 crore but doesn’t resonate with the audience, it doesn’t change their opinion. The audience knows what they want to watch,” he said, stressing that collections shouldn’t be the measure of a film’s worth.
About Sky Force
Sky Force is based on India’s first airstrike during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani war, the Sargodha airbase attack. Announced in 2023, the film wrapped up shooting in 2024 and hit theaters in January 2025. Co-directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Anil Kapur, the movie marks the Bollywood debut of Veer Pahariya. Produced by Maddock Films, Sky Force also stars Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur.
