Deepika Padukone's JNU visit will have nil effect on 'Chhapaak' Box Office, feel trade analysts

Deepika Padukone visited Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Tuesday night, causing Twitterati to erupt in a war. #BoycottChhapaak immediately started trending on Twitter after the users felt that Deepika was now associated with 'Tukde Tukde Gang'. However, soon after, #ISupportDeepika also started trending, when few others lauded her act as brave.

Despite the plea for boycott on Deepika's Chhapaak, trade analysts are of the opinion that Padukone's JNU visit will not hamper the Box Office of her movie by any chance, according to a report on Hindustan Times.

Akshaye Rathi was of the opinion, “If the trends on Twitter actually have an impact at the ground level, then a lot of people would watch Chhapaak because they agree with what Deepika did, and many may not watch it as they don’t agree with what she did.” On the contrary, Girish Johar maintained, “Twitter is an indicator but not a major influencer. Something similar had happened with Deepika’s last film, Padmaavat. Those who want to watch the film will watch it after all. It wasn’t affected in the long run. If Chhapaak appears to be a good film, it will definitely perform well.”

Deepika Padukone-Vikrant Massey's Chhapaak, helmed by Meghna Gulzar, also releases with Ajay Devgn, Kajol and Saif Ali Khan starrer Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, and Rajinikanth's Darbar. Akshaye feels that Darbar would earn the biggest numbers pan-India. “Out of Tamil Nadu alone, it will collect more than Chhapaak or Tanhaji. Kerala and parts of Karnataka can also be taken over by Darbar,” he said.

Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kiara Advani and Diljit Dosanjh's Good Newwz has been working well at the Box Office so far but the movie would face tough competition from Friday. Rathi, however, feels that the movie would work till Republic Day. “There is no other major release till Republic Day. It will continue to be shown in multiplexes,” Rathi informed.