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OFFBEAT FILMS SET TO TAKE ON IPL
With IPL season here and big releases on hold, mediumbudget and offbeat films are ready to strike while the iron’s hot
In a country where Bollywo and cricket are more or les treated as religions, choosi between the two can be difficult for fans. Perhaps that’s why films take a back seat during the Indian Premi League (IPL) season this time of the year. While this stands true for big-budget releases, medium budget films hope to use this box-office window to their advantage. Trade analyst Komal Nahta says, “Every month, there is some opposition or the other, so I don’t think film-makers wait. Only the big ones, like a Race 3, won’t release in the midst of IPL matches, but others have given in.”
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh adds that IPL can’t be seen as a threat every Friday. “It’s usually the first week and last week of the IPL season that are tough for film-makers. Between those times, if the film is good enough to stand out, it still works,” he says.
IPL VS THE BOX OFFICE
The new season of IPL began on April 7 and will continue till May 27. Some early weekends have multiple releases lined up, but Fridays after May 11 will face a dry spell, with ju film or two coming out.
After the cricket tournament kicked off, wh Tiger Shroff’s Baaghi 2 enjoyed a strong run in its second week, Irrfan-starrer dark comedy Blackmail failed to get a great opening at the box office.
TIME FOR ‘HATKE’ FILMS
October, starring Varun Dhawan, releases on April 13; 102 Not Out, featuring Rishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan, releases on May 4; and Alia Bhatt’s Raazi is scheduled for a May 11 release. Don’t they fall in the ‘big releases’ bracket? Nahta explains that their content sets these films apart from the mainstream ones, and hence, “they can do with opposition of IPL, but not with opposition of multi-starrer films”.
Adarsh agrees, “October might have a big star like Varun Dhawan, but it’s not your usual masala film.”
HOPE FOR MEDIUM BUDGET FILMS
Films such as Omerta, Daas Dev, Beyond the Clouds, Nanu Ki Jaanu, and FryDay, are scheduled for release in the April-May period. “In the absence of big films, smaller ones have a chance to stand out,” says trade analyst Atul Mohan, adding, “If the content is good and they are backed by good reviews, they might pick up momentum, like how Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011) and Vicky Donor (2012) became sleeper hits during IPL.”
WHEN IPL GETS OVER
Fans can expect June to start on a high note. Veerey Di Wedding, starring Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan, will release on June 1, followed by Soorma, featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Taapsee Pannu. The biopic on actor Sanjay Dutt, starring Ranbir Kapoor, will release on June 29. “It’s a well thought out strategy, as the audience would want to see some big films after mostly mid-budgeted ones,” says Nahta.