Bollywood looks beyond Diwali for Box office gold

“It’s a misconception that people watch movies during Diwali. There is puja at home,there are people to meet and watching a movie might not always be on the cards,” says filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali,whose 2007 Diwali release “Saawariya” sank at the box-office.

Bhansali said the film might have fared better if not released during the festival season,where it was pitted against Farah Khan’s blockbuster “Om Shanti Om”. Both filmmakers are ready with their new projects this year — neither are opening on Diwali.

While Bhansali’s “Guzaarish”,starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan,releases two weeks after Diwali,Farah Khan’s “Tees Maar Khan” — with Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif — opens on Christmas Eve.

Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey” is also slated for a December release.

“December is a good time to release a film because people are still in the festive mood,they want to go out and celebrate,and you can also get a solo release,rather than clashing with another film,” says Siddharth Roy Kapur of UTV Motion Pictures.

In 2009,two of the three films released during Diwali week — “Blue” and “Mr and Mrs Khanna” — had disastrous outings at the box-office. The Ajay Devgan comedy “All the Best” was the only crowd-puller.

“If you have even two big films during Diwali,you are sure to be dividing your audiences and ensuring that there is clash,” says Vajir Singh,editor of Box Office India.

Traditionally,the film industry hoped to cash in on the increased spending power of Indian audiences during the festival of lights. But in recent years,films opening in other festival months have also tasted success. Eid releases “Dabangg” and “Wanted” and Christmas week films “3 Idiots” and “Ghajini” are a case in point.

“Diwali,nevertheless,is always a big week for us and we are expecting huge crowds,especially since it is a weekend,” said Rahul Singh,Senior VP,Operations of PVR Cinemas.