This Independence day, a clash of gargantuan proportions is underway.
Akshay Kumar starrer Rustom and Ashutosh Gowariker's Mohenjo Daro with Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde are releasing on 12 August in order to cash in on the long weekend.
Both actors are stars in their own right, and that's what makes this clash so massive. There were reports that the makers of Rustom had negotiated with Ashutosh Gowariker to push the release date of his film.
A spokesperson from Gowariker's team then released an official statement, "As the spokesperson of Ashutosh Gowariker Productions, I would like to clarify that he has not been spoken to and that there is no change in the release date of Mohenjo Daro. As officially announced more than a year ago, on January 15, 2015, the film will release on August 12, 2016.”
So who will emerge the bigger film of the two? It all boils down to a couple of factors.
Storyline: An epic romance or a fast-paced thriller?
Mohenjo Daro is an epic love story, set in the Indus Valley civilization. The film is about the protagonist, Hrithik, falling in love with his enemy’s daughter Pooja Hegde.
Akshay Kumar-Ileana D’Cruz starrer Rustomm on the other hand is reportedly a film based on the 1959 Nanavati case where naval officer Kavas Maneckshaw Nanavati was tried for the murder of his wife’s lover, Prem Ahuja. It is directed by Tinu Suresh.
Big budget = big money?
While Mohenjo Daro has been made at a budget of Rs 100 crore, the production cost of Rustom is Rs 45 crores, reports Mid Day. The makers of Hrithik Roshan's film are reportedly banking on Hrithik's comeback to the big screen after two years; his last film Bang Bang released in 2014.
However, Akshay Kumar has consistently been doing smaller budgeted films that focus more on the story line. Films like Baby, Special 26 and Airlift are examples of, and they have done well at the box office because of correct budgeting.
My screens are bigger than yours
Mohenjo Daro has targeted a wider reach, especially because of their VFX heavy story line, which is something kids would seemingly be a lot more into than a thriller about a naval officer.
According to this IBT report, Mohenjo Daro will be released in around 2,300-2,400 screens across the country, while Rustom is looking at around 2,000 screens in total. This gives Mohenjo Daro an advantage of over 300 screens.
What trade analysts are saying
Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi tells Mid Day, "While the clout and exhibitor relations of Disney [the studio backing Mohenjo Daro] cannot be undermined, the merit of Rustom's promos will ensure that both films get adequate screen space."
Trade analyst Girish Wankhede has also revealed that this clash is similar to the Bajirao Mastani and Dilwale clash which occured in December 2015. This bigger film will get an additional 300 screens but that is no guarantee of the box office figures. He did however add that Rustom has more buzz regarding its release, and with Akshay Kumar helming it, there seems to be no doubt about its success.
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Source: FPost
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