It's Khan vs Khan as Bollywood seeks a turnaround script

Pegged as the films that may rejuvenate Bollywood’s declining fortunes, especially after the Mumbai terror attacks, around Rs 150 crore is riding on the year’s two most-awaited Bollywood releases — Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Ghajini — which will be released in the next few days.

They would also decide whether the two Khans — Shah Rukh and Aamir — still have the power to get the cash registers ringing in what has been a relatively lacklustre year for Bollywood.

The two films will also be the first releases this year of both the Khans after their two respective successful films late last year — Om Shanti Om and Taare Zameen Par. Both turned out to be huge commercial hits. The two movies had generated box office collections of over Rs 180 crore, at least three times the cost of their investments.

Now Shah Rukh’s Rab Ne... will be seen across 25-odd countries simultaneously on December 12 in over 1,200 theatres — the highest number of prints for any movie in India. Aamir’s Ghajini will be released Christmas eve in an equal number of movie screens.

According to trade experts, Aamir’s Ghajini, a remake of a Tamil film by the same title, has already managed to earn over Rs 93 crore from domestic distribution, home video and satellite rights, recovering double its production cost of Rs 42 crore. The film is being distributed in India by the Indian Film Company, a joint venture between Viacom and Raghav Bahl.

Shah Rukh’s Rab Ne... is a directorial venture of film maker, scriptwriter and producer Aditya Chopra after nearly eight years. Chopra is the son of veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra, whose home banner Yash Raj Films is producing it. The film’s production costs are an estimated Rs 35 crore, sources say.

“The order for prints in India is increasing by the day with a lot of excitement in the exhibition sector. The masses are looking forward to the first SRK release this year, and the first SRK-Aditya Chopra film in over eight years. But most of all, it is a wholesome family entertainer that will bring much-needed respite in these stressful times,” said Sanjeev Kohli, director and CEO, Yash Raj Films.

“I expect audiences to return to the theatres for both Rab Ne... and then Ghajini. Both films should be able to lift the mood of the masses and should go on to become commercial successes,” film trade analyst Komal Nahata said. Nahata expects the two movies to make four times the money that has been invested in the films.

Audiences are already lapping up the movie. “In the first six hours of booking that opened today for Rab Ne..., we have sold almost all inventory for Friday, Saturday and Sunday shows. We think it will be house-full for the next two to three weeks which is a record of sorts,” said Utpal Acharya, vice-president (programming) for INOX, a leading multiplex chain with exhibition halls across the country.

Bollywood’s record this year has not been very bright with only half a dozen hits compared to 13 films in 2007. The top-20 films’ box office collections in 2007 were over Rs 850 crore compared to around Rs 700 crore for 2008 so far.