New chapter in SRK-Chopra war
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| LEFTINTHELURCH? Shah Rukh Khan |
The Chopras have persuaded Krrish exhibitors to block all theatres for Dhoom 2 on Diwali, leaving few theatres for SRK's Don
Upala KBR
upala@mid-day.com
The war between Shah Rukh Khan and Yash Raj is hotting up. SRK's Don and Yash Raj's Dhoom 2, starring Hrithik, are being readied for Diwali (October 20), and the Chopras are trying everything to ensure that their film beats SRK's Diwali release.
Arm-twisting?
In a move which could be termed as a strategic business move, or clever arm-twisting tactics, Adi has persuaded the exhibitors of Krrish to also block all the theatres for Dhoom 2 on Diwali. This will affect Don, as they won't have enough theatres to screen their film.
Says trade analyst and distributor Amod Mehra, "Yash Raj has booked all the main theatres all over India for Dhoom 2. It's better to book your theatres (single-screen and multiplexes) in advance and Yash Raj is leaving nothing to chance. So if there are five cinemas in Dadar and five of them are screening Krrish today, those same theatres will have to screen Dhoom 2 on Diwali."
Isn't this bullying tactics? "No," says Amod Mehra adding, "It's pure business strategy. Imagine the kind of opening Dhoom 2 will take as it's Hrithik next release after Krrish?"
But isn't it also because the Chopras don't want Don to do better than Dhoom 2? "I wouldn't know about that, but it is Yash Raj's way of sending a message across to the stars — if you had acted in our film you would have got the kind of treatment we are giving Dhoom 2."
Ritiesh Sidhwani, the producer for Don, doesn't deny any agreement having taken place between Yash Raj and the exhibitors, but adds, "I think there is enough room during Diwali for both films."
It is a feeling echoed by his exhibitor Anil Thadani, who says, "There is more hardware (movie theatres) than software (films), and exhibitors would want as many releases as possible. Why would they not want to show Don, which is an equally important film? Even if such an agreement were to happen, it wouldn't affect the business of Don."
Unwritten code
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh refutes the claim. "When two big films clash, business is bound to be affected and considering Yash Raj's clout over distributors and the cream of theatres at their disposal, it definitely has an edge over Don. Of course both are very big films — big budget and eagerly anticipated."
About the agreement between exhibitors and Yash Raj, Taran says, "There exists one but it's unwritten. "
Sahdev Ghai, head of distribution, Yashraj films says, "There is no such agreement. Why would I give a pre-condition when Dhoom 2 is in such great demand? It's a sequel to a very successful film and has an even bigger star cast with Hrithik, Abhishek, Bipasha and Aishwarya and is greatly hyped. Who wouldn't like to screen Dhoom 2 on their own without conditions?"
Opportunity at play
Manoj Desai, owner of Maratha Mandir and the G-7 multiplexes confirms "Vinay Choksi, my chain holder who books theatres for me has told me verbally that 'Krissh liya toh Dhoom 2 lena padega.' It's a verbal agreement. When there is a dearth of good films that can run for a long time, distributors rule and the exhibitors have to surrender. It's not arm-twisting but opportunism."
So where does that leave Don?
The trouble between SRK and Yash Chopra
Though both sides deny it, Khan and Chopra had a fallout when their favourite hero made it clear that he wanted to be paid his market price. The Chopras retaliated by signing Aamir for Fanaah and paid him his market price — something that has always been denied to Shah Rukh. The second lesson to King Khan was when the Chopras approached Salman Khan for Shimit Amin's film. SRKrealised he was losing out and began to worm his way back into the camp. He snatched the 'Salman' offer from under his nose, a fact that upsets Salman even
 | | showing the finger:Yash Chopra | |
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