With Prabhas' Saaho releasing on August 30, trade gurus decode why Rajkummar Rao's Made In China and Sushant Singh Rajput's Chhichhore should avoid the clash
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 25, 2019)

If Baahubali made Prabhas a superstar overnight, the effect of his superstardom can well be felt now. As soon as the makers of Saaho announced August 30 as their new release date, Bollywood producers scurried back to the calendar to rejig the release dates of their offerings. Trade experts believe that Sushant Singh Rajput's Chhichhore and Rajkummar Rao's Made In China, which were to hit screens on the last Friday of August, are likely to be postponed in a bid to avoid locking horns with the big-budget actioner.

Trade expert Amod Mehra states that the Sujeeth-directed venture is likely to open across 3000-plus screens across the country, leaving other releases barely 35 per cent of the total screen count. "Saaho is one of the most anticipated films of the year, and there is no chance it will be postponed any further. The box-office tracking for its opening day is around Rs 31 crore [across the three languages], which is huge." He also reasons that releasing two Shraddha Kapoor starrers alongside one another wouldn't be a wise move. "It is likely that Chhichhore will be pushed by a week, while the release of Made In China will be postponed even further."

Some might argue that Prabhas is essentially a South sensation. However, distributor-exhibitor Girish Wankhede opines that he enjoys a fan following that can easily match that of traditional Bollywood stars. "Even though it has been two years since Baahubali: The Conclusion, the audience is still reeling under its hangover. So, Prabhas has benefited from that despite not having any release in the interim." He adds that given his popularity, films releasing a week prior and later would benefit from a rethink. "Saaho will have a strong run for at least two weeks. Although Chhichhore and Made In China are films that people are looking forward to watch this year, it would be harakiri if they consider releasing on the same day."

While the officials at Maddock Films remained unavailable for comment, a source working in the production unit of Made In China says, "A patchwork shoot is pending. It will happen only once Rajkummar returns from the first schedule of Roohi-Afza. So, in all likelihood, the film will not make the August 30 deadline."