MID-DAY (June 10, 2017)

The news of Shah Rukh Khan averting a clash with Akshay Kumar-starrer Toilet - Ek Prem Katha during the Independence Day weekend has spread cheer among a large section of trade folk.

Tradesmith Girish Wankhede says the ‘technical decision’ to space out release dates has set a good example. “It will ensure no one eats into anyone’s business. SRK accommodating Akshay or vice-versa is a healthy sign for the industry,” he adds. Trade pundit Taran Adarsh feels business becomes a major concern for producers considering the frequency of box office contests. “Therefore, release dates are rampantly changing these days.”

Exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi, however, believes the clash wouldn’t have made a major difference to box office revenues. “In the end, an SRK fan will watch his film irrespective of any other film releasing the same day; it holds true for Akshay too. Producers need to stop complaining about the number of screens they get when there is another big release. In the past, we have seen two big releases co-existing, but none of them was able to run to a good capacity for days together. Screen count is just a means for ego massaging,” he says.