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Mumbai: The release of at least five films in Hindi and southern languages scheduled for March has been postponed to avoid a clash with two big-budget movies that are set to hit the screens next month-Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic. These films include Sunny Deol‘s Gabru, Ram Charan‘s Peddi, Ayushman Khuraana’s Pati Patni Aur Woh Do and Adivi Sesh’s Dacoit: A Love Story.
“The makers want to avoid competition given the high audience interest in Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic,” said film distributor and trade analyst Shaaminder Malik.
Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic starring Yash-both scheduled for release on March 19-are expected to draw huge audiences, trade experts said. This could cause fewer footfalls in theatres for other films. “There is high audience interest for both films. They stand a fair chance of faring equally well,” said Bhuvnesh Mendiratta, managing director at multiplex chain Miraj Cinemas. “Dhurandhar 2 is riding on the stupendous success of its original. Toxic is set to capitalise on actor’s Yash stardom, his legacy of pan-India success and the film’s genre itself.”
These movies are also likely to benefit from the long festival weekend of Eid and Gudi Padwa, he said, predicting: “Cumulatively, these films could record net collecting amounting to at least ₹1,500 crore.” Trade analysts do not foresee any negative impact of this clash on either film, citing instances of two big films releasing on the same day doing well.
“There are careful considerations behind these releases. I don’t think Dhurandhar 2 will eat into Toxic’s collections,” said producer and film business expert Girish Johar.
Films like Gadar and Lagaan (2001), as well as Welcome and Taare Zameen Par (2007), which had been released on the same dates, had done equally well, he pointed out. “I estimate that cumulatively both films will collect ₹300 crore on the opening weekend itself. Even though both films belong to the same genre, I think the reasons to watch them in theatres are materially different,” Johar said.
According to film trade analysts, Geetu Mohandas-directed Toxic is estimated to be made on a budget of ₹500-600 crore. A key reason for such a high budget is the makers have shot the film in Kannada and English, and dubbed it in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and other languages, said exhibitors. The combined budget of director Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar 2 is estimated to be ₹350-400 crore, said trade analysts.
Though audience interest is high, exhibitors face the challenge of accommodating shows of both films in the first week. “Both films have strong distributors. Anil Thadani’s AA Films, which will also distribute The Ramayana, is distributing Toxic. PVR Inox will distribute Dhurandhar 2 in four major markets. Given these facts, exhibitors will face the challenge of accommodating shows of both films in the first week,” said Malik, the film distributor and trade analyst. “But by the second week it is the audience’s preference which will dictate the programming clearly.”
