The inevitable seems to be happening. Despite all efforts to avert the clash of the two most-awaited period dramas “Lagaan” and “Gadar” on the turnstiles, the two films will in all probability be released on the same day.
Strange are the ways of Bollywood. After a long time the movie buffs are going to get a welcome break from the slushy romantic flicks and have a peek at some sensible historical films that take a trip down the memory lane in Indian history. But it might in fact turn out to be a stodgy fare with movie buffs inundated by too much of period drama on June 15.
Things have heated up after the announcement of the long-in-the-making Aamir Khan’s “Lagaan” being postponed from June 1 release to June 15 which is already pegged for Sunny Deol-starrer “Gadar”. This has partly infuriated the folks at Zee as “Gadar” marks Zee’s foray into the film production in Bollywood.
The problem is that both the films are of the same genre (historical drama) set in British ruled India. While “Lagaan” is about the peasant revolution set in 1890s “Gadar” is basically a love story between a Sikh and a Muslim girl set in the times of the India’s partition. Although the plot of the two films differ considerably, industry pundits opine that “they might eat into each other’s market share if released on the same day”.
While the Nitin Keni of Zee Films is resolute about releasing the film on June 15, “come what may” there is this buzz that Aamir is trying to find some way out of this curious quandary. Still the question remains. Are the two blockbusters on which many a survival depends heading for a head-on collision? And if they are, how well does it auger for the box-office? Just a little wait and we will know.
The inevitable seems to be happening. Despite all efforts to avert the clash of the two most-awaited period dramas “Lagaan” and “Gadar” on the turnstiles, the two films will in all probability be released on the same day.