Come December 6, cinegoers would have found themselves contemplating which of the two big-budget offerings—Chhaava and Pushpa 2 - The Rule —was worthy of their attention. However, two days after the makers of Pushpa 2 confirmed that the film will release on December 5, mid-day has learned that the team behind Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava has decided to pick another date.

“Chhaava is an ambitious project for the stakeholders, production house, director Laxman Utekar, and its lead star, Vicky. It makes sense to release it when no other film is scheduled to air,” says a source.

Another insider shares that the historical drama that features Kaushal as Chhatrapati Shivaji’s son Sambhaji Maharaj is likely to get advanced. Taran Adarsh says that while an official confirmation from the team of Chhaava is awaited, he hails the decision.

“Pushpa has potential to perform well in [all] languages. Chhaava is an ambitious project. A lot of money has gone into making both films. A clash could affect business.”

Considering the popularity of Pushpa 2, Rajasthan-based exhibitor Raj Bansal says it would have been “catastrophic” had Chhaava released on the same day. “When two films hit screens simultaneously, each earns at least 20 per cent less than it would have otherwise.”

Interestingly, Rashmika Mandanna, who stars in Pushpa 2, the sequel to director Sukumar’s 2021 pan-India blockbuster, also features in Kaushal’s film.