Filmmakers take desperate measures to avoid box office clashes

Now that the New Year celebratory mood is subsiding in Bollywood and it’s getting back to work as usual, some of the top producers and filmmakers are apparently finding themselves in a dilemma of sorts. And what’s giving them sleepless nights is the fact that several of the biggies lined up in the year ahead may end up clashing with each other at the BO. Though all of them seem to be maha-confident of their own teams and products, there’s an undercurrent of tension brewing and filmmakers are increasingly finding themselves succumbing to this pressure.

With the hope of catching the festival crowd during Diwali and Eid, most filmmakers have booked the dates well in advance, even though in some cases, the films have not even gone on the floors. But even though it’s only the tentative release dates of these films that have been announced and the actual dates are yet to be finalised, trade talk has it that the second half is likely to see some tagdi takkar among the topmost stars. Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger is due for release in mid-August, and within two weeks, Akshay Kumar’s Joker releases. Then again there’re films like Rowdy Rathore and Talaash expected to release within weeks of each other. There’s also an entire line-up of biggies scheduled to release including Race 2, Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai, Heroine, Ghayal Returns, and more.

Now, to combat the situation and avoid any biggie releasing too close to another one for comfort, buzz is that frantic closed door meetings are being held to make sure that films don’t clash. Confirming this, an insider reveals, “Filmmakers and distributors are getting into huddles, frantically trying to work out suitable release dates for their films. They are trying whatever it takes to make sure that the dates work in their favour.” One such producer, on conditions of anonymity, says, “What to do, desperate times call for desperate measures, so we’ve had to put aside all egos and have these meetings with each other. In some cases it has even benefitted, because it’s for all of us, but yes there can be times when no one refuses to back off and it can also get ugly.”

Another insider with one such production house says that calls are indeed being made and meetings planned even though none of them would want to admit that they are somewhere worried that the other film’s business might eat into their own. “By hook or by crook, filmmakers are not shying away from any trick in the tradebook to make it work in their favour. In some cases, stars are being asked to use their pull with rival filmmakers or other stars to make sure it works in their favours,” explains the insider.

Trade analysts feel that when it comes to business, all personal equations are put aside so it won’t be surprising to know that rival filmmakers have been having these closed door meetings. It will work in the favour of the industry, they insist.