Ramu’s Veerappan is releasing on the same date as his rival Anurag Kashyap produced Raman Raghav 2.0; Pooja Bhatt’s Cabaret is also joining in the fray
Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; April 20, 2016)
Almost four months into 2016 and we have already seen a few big clashes as far as release dates are concerned. The rest of the year is going to be no different as some big announcements are being made. The latest to add on the list is Anurag Kashyap’s Raman Raghav 2.0, Ram Gopal Varma’s comeback film Veerappan and Pooja Bhatt’s Cabaret. The three films will hit theatres on May 27.
Kashyap’s film clashing with Ramu’s film is particularly interesting as these two go back a long way. Kashyap as a fledgeling started work in Ramu’s camp and it was he who had co-written the screenplay along with Saurabh Shukla for Satya, Ramu’s most successful film till date. That was back in 1998. Once Kashyap grew and became a filmmaker to be reckoned with, the duo stopped seeing eye to eye and have been open about their animosity on social media. And now, Pooja Bhatt has chosen the same date to release her pet project, Cabaret, starring Richa Chadha and Gushan Devaiah. Since all three films fall under more or less the same kind of genre, there is a fear of them eating into each other’s business.
According to a source, “All these films are set to release on the May 27 and obviously it will divide the audience and will also hamper the business. The makers of the three films should figure out a way to deal with the situation.”
“Clashes are really bad for the overall financial health of the industry,” says a trade pundit on the condition of anonymity. “Now a days clashes are more of an ego war and there are very few people who are ready to change the release date. Last year everyone saw what happened in the clash between Bajirao Mastani and Dilwale, so ego should be kept aside and the makers should think about the business and the industry,” he says.
All three films have a lot on their shoulders as RGV and Bhatt are back on the big screen after a long time. Kashyap too has a lot at stake as this would be his first film after the debacle of Bombay Velvet.
