Requests Shoot Out be postponed...

Two big Bachchan films releasing together are enough to give even the Big B the jitters. Apparently, when Kishore and Sunil Lulla of Eros Entertainment, the distributors of Cheeni Kum, realised that their film is going to release on the same day (May 25) as Sanjay Gupta's Shoot Out At Lokhandwala, they pressed the panic button.

No, says Gups

Says an industry source, "Kishore and Sunil approached Amitabh Bachchan and requested him to have a word with the Shoot Out makers and get the film's release postponed. Bachchan then spoke to Shoot Out's director Apoorva Lakhia.

When Gupta (the producer) came to know about this, he politely declined Bachchan's request stating that he had already booked a chain of theatres and postponing the release would worsen his situation, as big films like Pirates Of the Caribbean: At World's End and Firoz A Nadiadwala's Fool N Final would be up for release the following week (June 1)."

Nothing in common

Says Sanjay Gupta, "It wasn't as much a request from Mr Bachchan but from his distributors, as they were hoping Shoot Out's release could be pushed back. Obviously, two Big B films releasing on the same day do make people nervous.

But the theatres for Shoot Out were booked two months ago so we could not push it further. Anyway, both the films belong to different genres and I don't think one would affect the other's chances."

Ramesh Sippy, the distributor of Shoot Out, says, "There was no request made to me but I heard that there was some casual talk with the producer.
I am sure Amitabh Bachchan wouldn't have pressed the matter as he is experienced enough to know that both films are different. One is an action flick while the other is a romantic comedy. Hence, one won't influence the other."

Despite efforts to reach them, Kishore and Sunil Lulla were unavailable for comment.