Wanna know what another trade analyst Komal Nahata feels about the clash? Says Nahata, "I think both films- Raees and Kaabil- should work. I hadn't expected such a massy trailer from Raees and I have started memorising the dialogues. It looks like a clap-clap film. I have also liked the trailer of Kaabil."
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Elucidiating further, Nahata explains very clearly, ""But both films will also eat into each other. Yeh clashes toh hote rahenge, plus here is no solution in sight. In fact, this is going to become more common parlance than what it is now. All big stars want to cash in on big holidays, and think of it why not? Holidays and holiday-weekends have become the prime source of income for the filmmakers. Earlier, a film released in 500 screens and today it releases in 4,000 screens. So by Sunday, everyone who wanted to see it has mostly seen it. So why not release it over a holiday weekend where the public coming into the halls will definitely be more than on a normal weekend?"
It would be pertinent to know what the exhibitors feel. Ravi of PVR Juhu tells SpotboyE.com, "Two big movies releasing on the same day is not good even for us, the business gets divided. The buzz for Raees is increasing. The Kaabil trailer is very appealing. I will divide the shows equally, but the shorter film may get a show extra (Remember Ajay Devgn's last ditch effort to save Shivaay by reducing a good 12 minutes?)."
Image Source: twitter/shah rukh khan/hrithik roshan
However, Bhatia of single screen feels that cinema houses stand to gain if and when two big films release on the same day. "We sell more snacks, we have more cars in our parking lots. Above all, if there is one movie, mostly only half the theatre is full. So what's wrong in having half the number of screens and registering a full house instead?" But don't the makers fighting for their share of the bigger piece of cake stand to not benefit? Replied Bhatia, "Ab unka toh main kuch nahin kar sakta. Yes, people do have two options on one Friday and most of them do choose only one of them for their fun time over the weekend," then adds, "Anyway, I being a single screen owner, will have to release Raaes only. Kaabil is not on my radar."
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That Bhatia can't release Kaabil is another story, which SpotboyE.com was the first to break (Shah Rukh Fires First Salvo At Hrithik, Raees Vs Kaabil War Begins, Oct 7). Earlier, Anil Thadani who had told all single screens that he won't give them Mirzya if they don't allocate all their four shows in the Republic Day week to Raees. Now, he has applied the same tactics using the upcoming Bahubali. In fact, he had made some of them even sign contracts at that time, which had clubbed Mirzya, Raees and Bahubali togetrher. Everything is fair in love, war and business.
We spoke to a few filmmakers as well about the January 25 big fight.
Producer Ramesh Taurani says, "We have more movies than the number of Fridays in a year, and it is inevitable that some of the films will clash," but quickly added, "The clash could have been avoided. Two weeks prior to the Republic Day, there is almost a vacant Friday out there. Why can't either Raees or Kaabil be shifted to that almost vacant slot?"
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Manager Partner of Ellipsis Entertainment, Tanuj Garg, is in semi-tandem with Taurani and Nahata. "A clash is never desirable because it splits business but then there are only 52 weekends in a year, which is less than the number of the films which theatres every year. the biggies will vie for the holiday weekends for obvious reasons," he says.
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Mehra returns to say, "SRK and Hrithik are fighting for just one day. The Republic Day holiday stretch, unlike Diwali or X'mas-New Year, is not long at all. God knows how they will benefit. I don't approve of two big films. Yes, both are different films and will get a good share of audience. But why clip each other? Let's not forget that February is a month of exams."
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Senior film critic Indu Mirani says, "Both, Raees and Kaabil, might not suffer terribly. But yes, I too think that egos have become bigger than the products in the industry.
Image Source: youtube/redchillies/flimcraft
Another side is that it does show confidence in one's product, but still these clashes are ill-advised. You mostly have only weekend to make money nowadays. Why make it difficult for yourself? Why reduce your own share, howsoever small the reduction might be?"
Hrithik Roshan's last film Mohenjo Daro suffered a big dent when it locked horns with Akshay Kumar's Rustom. SRK's last big clash, Dilwale vs Bajirao Mastani, met with a similar result. And of course, who can forget the infamous cut-throat battle between Karan Johar and Ajay Devgn last month when Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (ADHM) and Shivaay locked horns? Ajay lost quite a bit of money in his ambitious venture.
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Over to the leading distributor Shyam Shroff (Shringar Films) who distributed ADHM for the last word. Says Shroff, "Everyone is aiming for a certain holiday. Big set-ups always do that. It's a case of the famous song from Hum Kisise Kum Nahin- Aa Dekhen Zara Kisme Kitna Hai Dum. The better player will win. I really can't predict this time's result.
Over to the theatres...
Thumbnail Image Source: twitter/RedchilliesEnt & filmkraft