Round 1 to Don, but Jaan-E-Mann could be

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POST-DIWALI IS THE REAL TEST, SALMAN STARRER'S NOVELTY VALUE COULD PIP AKHTAR'S NEW-AGE REMAKE

Round 1 to Don, but Jaan-E-Mann could be the twist in the tale

Aparna Chandra & Sunmanda Mehta

Pune, October 21: DID the Diwali weekend get more exciting because of the two blockbuster releases or did Don and Jaan-E-Mann build on the festive fervour? While the rush till Friday's first show proves just why Diwali is such a coveted opening day in the film industry, it's the tussle between the two Khans, Shahrukh and Salman, at the box-office that is making for a more action-packed tale. Amitabh Bachchan reloaded as Bollywood supremo Shahrukh Khan, gangs and molls — Don — had its share of advantages and did manage to make the most of it at the multiplexes where both movies have opened.

Don has had a flying start, raking in anywhere between 95-100 per cent collection in major cities and 70-80 per cent in smaller centres. There can't be any comparison with any other release, it's in a league of it own," says trade analyst Komal Nahata.

"I guess the promos of Don did the trick. We had a whole lot of advance bookings for the film even before it was released," says Inox's regional marketing manager Saumitro Sahu. A trend that was witnessed in Pune's other multiplexes — Gold Adlabs and E-Square. While Gold Adlabs has seven shows of Don everyday as against five of Jaan-E-Mann, Inox is running eight shows of each and E-Square 18 shows of Don as against eight of Jaan-E-Mann. "Even with tickets priced close to Rs 200 for many of shows for Don, they are all going houseful. The only advantage with having Jaan-E-Mann running alongside is that when Don gets sold out, instead of going home, people opt for Jaan-E-Mann," says E-Square partner Neerav Panchamia. However, Sahu hopes that things will look up for Jaan-E-Mann after the weekend. But his optimism wasn't shared everywhere. "Jaan-E-Mann's collections have been poor at 20-40 per cent. The film's promotion didn't do justice to it and highlighted mostly the tragic aspects of the story. Nobody minds a film that makes you cry, but during Diwali a few will make that choice knowingly," adds Nahata. Round one, then, seems to have gone to Don. But it's round two, most say, that might bring the twist in the tale. Akhtar's version of the underworld kingpin has received criticism from most reviewers. "You can't blame Don for its story that was already there. It's how Farhan Akhtar has made the film that is such a terrible let down," says trade analyst Taran Adarsh. "It seems most feel that no one can quite beat Bachchan's portrayal in the original," adds Gold Adlabs manager Robin Saini. Akhtar's weak script then may just make way for the "novelty" of Jaan-E-Mann. Both analysts believe that despite poor collections, the film deserves better. Says Adarsh, "The film will pick up gradually through word-of-mouth publicity. But it's too early to guess who's winning, Don or Jaan. Diwali typically keeps the crowds home, so Saturday will not be the perfect test day either," he says. For a year filled with big banner and big budget films, where production houses have been careful to not cross each other's paths by spacing out release dates, Don and Jaan-E-Mann have also built the hype by releasing on the same day and thereby provided the excitement of competition.

"Neither will do extraordinary business. I don't see the two films repeating the success of Krrish, Fanaa or Lage Raho Munnabhai. The drama is yet to come with Dhoom 2," says Nahata.

Yes..Yes..M waiting for Dhoom 2 👏 😊