It’s Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi vs Rajinikanth’s Annaatthe vs Marvel’s Eternals this Diwali, and this box office clash is good news

As per producer and film business expert, Girish Johar and film trade analyst Komal Nahta, there will be “no clash”. In fact, they see the simultaneous release of the three films as a great opportunity to revive the cinema business in the country.

Talking to indianexpress.com, Komal Nahta said, “In the Hindi belt, it is Akshay Kumar and Sooryavanshi that is going to get precedence over any other film. Rajinikanth’s Annatthe will cater to the south audience, and Sooryavanshi will attract the rest of the country. I don’t see a clash happening.”

Akshay, Rajinikanth have different market shares

Girish Johar feels that even in the pre-pandemic times, south films, Bollywood films and Hollywood flicks had simultaneous releases around Diwali. But each had its own audience. Even now, he doesn’t see any of the films “eating each other’s business”. He shared, “Rajinikanth’s film will be big down south whereas Sooryavanshi is a mass, commercial entertainer. It will have a strong foothold in the interiors of the country and in the north Indian market. Eternals is an upmarket, top cities centric film for Hollywood film buffs. Eventually, the better film will run, but for now, there’s no clash.”

Sooryavanshi is the fourth film in Rohit Shetty’s cop universe after Ajay Devgn’s Singham, Singham Returns and Ranveer-starrer Simmba. (Photo: Reliance Entertainment)

Diwali releases will set the tone

While Sooryavanshi and Eternals are releasing across India on November 5, Rajinikanth’s much-awaited Annaatthe will reach the theaters on November 4. Unlike the pre-pandemic times, the trade analysts are holding themselves from predicting a definite number as the opening day collection of these films at the ticket counters.

‘Rs 25 crore a good beginning for Sooryavanshi’

“There are certain states in the country that have allowed 50% or 60% occupancy in the theaters, while there are also some which have allowed 100%, so it’s a fractured mandate as of now. If Sooryavanshi clocks even 50-60 per cent of the pre-pandemic level, it would be a phenomenal start. This is the first big release date, so we don’t know whether people are feeling safe coming to the theatres or not. But the states allowing 100 per cent occupancy do give some confidence,” Johar opined.

Nahta shared, “Since the fear factor is still there and some states haven’t yet allowed full occupancy, anything around Rs 25 crore or upward would phenomenal for Sooryanshi.” He added, “Pre-Covid benchmarks won’t work now. What will work in the new normal depends on Sooryavanshi’s performance at the box office.”

Annaatthe to get a ‘phenomenal start’

On the other hand, Annaatthe is expected to have a great start. “The cinema business is up and swinging down south. Rajinikanth is a global superstar and has a huge fan following. So, I am expecting a phenomenal start to Annatthe down south specifically,” Johar said.

Rajinikanth in Annaatthe.

Sooryanashi and Annaatthe’s opening-day box office collection is expected to determine the future of the other films that are waiting in the pipeline. “Sooryavanshi’s opening box office is very critical in defining the future of the upcoming films,” feels Johar. Echoing a similar thought, Nahta said, “Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed for Sooryavanshi because its collection will define what the trend would be.”

If Sooryavanshi performs well in its initial days, the filmmakers, who have announced their films for the upcoming months, will get to learn a lesson or two. “If it has a good start, the other filmmakers will be more charged up to promote the films and ask the audience to come back to the cinemas,” Johar suggested.

Sooryavanshi is expected to release on 4000 screens in India and 1000 screens in the international markets. Now, it remains to be seen if it would become a case study for the films to follow or once again the filmmakers will have to take the OTT route for their films.