Joginder Tuteja (DNA; May 6, 2016)
It’s all happening! With India taking Hollywood a lot more seriously than ever before (and vice versa), release dates of biggies are being finalized much in advance so as to avoid any clash whatsoever. Well, it seems like there is some planning put into place a year in advance, what with the date of Fast 8 (of the Fast & Furious franchise) being announced as April 14, 2017. The trouble ahead? Well, inarguably India’s biggest and most awaited film till date, Baahubali: The Conclusion, is also slated to arrive on the same date next year.“This is one clash that just can’t happen,” declares a trade guru, “Yes, globally the Fast & Furious franchise is hugely popular. However, the build up towards Baahubali: The Conclusion too has been unparalleled. Part 1 of the SS Rajamouli film was hugely successful and raked in over Rs 500 crore. Even in Hindi, it became the first dubbed film to cross the Rs 100 crore mark. On the other hand Fast & Furious 7 was the first Hollywood film to enter the Rs 100 crore club in India. Both set the records for being the first ever for the Indian market and if the two clash, it would be catastrophic.”
As plans stand today, those backing Baahubali: The Conclusion could well be aiming to release the film across 5,000 screens across the country as they are looking to make it accessible to one and all, from north to south. On the other hand Fast 8 too deserves a record release in India due to its franchise power, which means a release across 3,000 screens is a given. Now since India is expected to have only around 5,500 notable screens at its disposal a year from now, the coming together for both films together is hardly a possibility.
“Which means it won’t be a bad idea for Fast 8 to release a week earlier on April 7,” the trade guru opines, “It has happened even before when Hollywood films have released earlier to avoid clash with Bollywood biggies. Recently, The Jungle Book released a week earlier so that it doesn’t have to struggle for screens with Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan. Look how wonderfully well it managed to perform due to this strategic decision, and is now on course to cross the Rs 175 crore mark. Universal Pictures, which is distributing Fast 8, could well do the same. It would be a win-win situation for all.”
With the world wants to know why Katappa killed Baahubali, guess there isn’t an iota of doubt around where the loyalties would lie if the two films indeed decide to clash.