Ajay Devgun starrer 'Badshahoo' was due to be released on Eid in Pakistan but now its release date has been set for September 8.
Insiders in the cinema industry said that the Pakistani filmmakers have been increasing pressure on distributors and exhibitors to not release any big budget Indian film on Eid holidays when most of the big Pakistani films were released this year.
"To ensure that there was no competition for the two big Pakistani films, 'Punjab Nahi Jaongee'(PNJ) and 'Na Maloom Afraad 2' (NMA2) no screen was allocated for 'Badshahoo'," one insider said.
"With these two films capturing all the screens obviously there was no sense in releasing 'Badshahoo'," a well known film distributor said.
The decision to delay the release of the Indian film has resulted in good business for both the Pakistani films which have raked in crores.
While PNJ earned around 5.3 crores in Pakistan on the first two Eid holidays, NMA 2 box office collections for first two days was 6.10 crores.
"For the first time both the Pakistani films also got a worldwide release and did good business," the distributor said.
Even in June on Eid-ul-Fitr, some influential Pakistani filmmakers used their influence to block the release of the latest Salman Khan starrer, 'Tubelight' in Pakistani cinema halls for Eid fearing they would lose out on big business.
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