WILL KARAN ARJUN AND NEW RELEASES ATTRACT FOOTFALLS?
The trend of re-releases is going on in full force and tomorrow, the biggest experiment in this regard is going to take place. Karan Arjun, the much loved film starring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, will be re-released on a grand scale. It’ll have the biggest screen count for a re-release in India and also abroad. Producer-director Rakesh Roshan has gone all out to promote the film with his son Hrithik Roshan even giving voiceover to the re-release trailer. The film has been remastered and hence, now looks as good as a fresh film.
The advance booking began in full force on Wednesday evening. The makers are keeping their expectations within limits but the exhibitors are hopeful that it can surprise.
As for the new release, the biggest is I Want To Talk, starring Abhishek Bachchan. It is directed by Shoojit Sircar of Piku and Vicky Donor fame. The trailer is intriguing and Abhishek seems in top form. However, the film also looks quite niche. The pre-release screening reports are positive and hopefully, it can see a jump in the collections from the second day.
All We Imagine As Light, which made waves for India abroad, will finally get an all-India release tomorrow. The film has got a limited release and might surprise in select pockets due to the extremely positive buzz around it. Of course, since it’s a film festival cinema, it’s meant for a minuscule audience.
Interestingly, Naam finally arrives in cinemas tomorrow. It was shot 20 years ago and stars Ajay Devgn, Bhumika Chawla and Sameera Reddy. It is directed by Anees Bazmee of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 fame. None of them are promoting the film and even the audience is aware that it’s a dated movie. As a result, the awareness is limited and the excitement to see it is negligible.
Lastly, the big Hollywood release is Wicked. The musical fantasy is all set for a very huge opening in North America. In India, the buzz is hardly there but it’s a film that can surprise and keep getting audiences for weeks, albeit in select premium multiplexes, if the reports are positive.