Facebook Pixel Code

Rs 300 cr box office collections: With Salman Khan out of picture, it’s Shah Rukh vs Aamir

Salman Khan is out of picture till he strikes back with ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ next Eid.

Rs 100 crore is passe, Rs 200 crore is the ‘in’ thing and Rs 300 crore is pretty much going to be the talk in the coming few months. With records being broken left, right and center, holiday releases being planned, each of the superstars delivering a century at will, new kids on the block making it seem like a child’s play (pun intended) and greater milestones being set, the films are pretty much expected to be ‘designed’ for that ‘One Big Show’.

Shah Rukh or Aamir – Who gets there first

Yes, Salman Khan is leading from the top when it comes to the ‘100 crore club’. He has an astonishing count of seven to his name and it seems improbable that in next couple of years at least, Shah Rukh Khan (4) or Aamir Khan (3) would be able to surpass that. Hence, the best way out to win over the competition is to battle it out in the 200 crore club instead.

This is where the competition turns out to be fairly balanced, what with Aamir boasting of two (3 Idiots, Dhoom 3) and Salman (Kick) along with Shah Rukh (Chennai Express) bringing on one each.

With Salman Khan out of picture till he strikes back with Bajrangi Bhaijaan next Eid, it all boils down to Shah Rukh and Aamir making their next biggies, Happy New Year and PK, really large.

Let’s begin with Happy New Year first. The film looks big, really big, and that’s where more than half the battle is won already. It has been proven in the recent times that a film has to look really enticing enough to warrant a big screen viewing if at all audience has to shell out thousands for theater tickets. In that perspective, Farah Khan seems to have done her job well in coming up with the visuals that indeed make for a big time Diwali treat.

Holiday factor, zero competition for a complete fortnight, star studded packaging (with Deepika Padukone added for good measure), action-comedy-musical theme and a narrative that seems to be on the lines of ‘You-Will-Get-What-you-Expect’ – Happy New Year appears as safe as it gets.

Well, safe enough to cross the 200 crore mark. However, it’s the overall content that gives the film a good enough chance to march into the 300 crore club.

As for Aamir Khan, the start towards that milestone has already been made. A semi-nude poster has set the film well as a talking point five months before it hits the big screen. However, and rest assured, from the combo of Aamir Khan-Rajkumar Hirani-Vidhu Vinod Chopra, one can expect PK to be a film that lends an out of the world experience to the audience. If the shock value has done the trick, the content could pretty much ensure that everything hits the roof.

From the man who has delivered three delightful films in a row (Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai, 3 Idiots), that isn’t too much to expect after all!

Now that by itself makes one truly believe that if the content is right, PK indeed has the potential to bring on the 300 crore club. With three open weeks ahead of it (for now at the least), this Christmas release could well spell Diwali and Eid too for all involved, especially audience who are already excited to check out what the film has in store.

Just like the 100 crore and the 200 crore club, would Aamir Khan turn out to be the founder of the 300 crore club as well?

Well, too many ifs and buts for sure! But then when the future doesn’t seem to be distant, it is time to make preparations for it, isn’t it?

Get live Share Market updates, Stock Market Quotes, and the latest India News and business news on Financial Express. Download the Financial Express App for the latest finance news.

First published on: 25-08-2014 at 09:07 IST
Market Data
Market Data
Today’s Most Popular Stories ×