Release date options for Shah Rukh Khan – Imtiaz Ali film in 2017

Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest stars in the industry today, but it’s been a struggle for the superstar to find favourable release periods – which would get him those big grossers that he desperately needs, after two box office disappointments in the form of ‘Dilwale’ and ‘FAN’.

In the last couple of years, it’s becomes a trend to announce the release dates of films well in advance. Salman Khan has dominated Eid and made the weekend his own, Aamir tries to release his films during Christmas, Ajay always has an eye on Diwali and Akshay is taking all the remaining ‘non-festive’ dates like Republic Day, Post IPL, Gandhi Jayanti and Independence Day.

With these actors announcing all their films more than a year in advance, even Shah Rukh Khan had to do something that he has said he doesn’t like – announce a film months before it even goes on floors. His banner, Red Chillies Entertainment, recently announced that his film with Aanand L Rai would release during the Christmas 2018 weekend. Shah Rukh announcing the release date of his film more than 2 years before its release, is something that has never happened before.

Which brings us to his next two films. While Raees and Kaabil will be fighting for box office supremacy during the Republic Day weekend – even though no film released in January has crossed the 130 crore mark – it’s the probable release date of ‘The Ring’ directed by Imtiaz Ali that is being discussed.

The options for the film, if it wants to find a favourable weekend, are limited in 2017. The film should be ready for release sometime in Mid-August next year, but almost all the successful dates have been taken.

There were reports that SRK-Imtiaz wanted the Independence Day weekend for their film, but Akshay was quick to grab it after the success of Rustom. The other date that they were looking at, was September 29, the Dusshera weekend which has plenty of holidays including Gandhi Jayanti on October 2nd. That date is gone too with Varun Dhawan and Sajid Nadiadwala announcing ‘Judwaa 2’.

So it’s either going to be about announcing ‘The Ring’ on a date that’s already occupied by another film or opting for a normal weekend. Shah Rukh could also ‘create’ a new weekend and make it his own by having a release during that period every year. For example, the Ganesha Chaturthi and Bakrid weekends are still vacant and the makers could hype it up as a favourable date for their film.

It’s become a game of perception these days. Eid and Diwali only have one big holiday, but with event films releasing during those weekends, it’s become a habit for the audience to watch films, thereby increasing the footfalls quite significantly.

Check out the table of weekends with full or partial holidays next year:

WeekendMovieNote
26 Jan: Repubic DayRaees, KaabilNational holiday on Thursday
12 Feb: Valentine's DayJolly LLB 2, RaabtaNo holiday, but Valentine's advantage
10 Mar: HoliBadrinath Ki DulhaniaPartial holiday on Monday
31 Mar: Ram NavmiNo ReleasePartial holiday on Tuesday
14 Apr: Good FridayNo ReleaseNational holiday on Friday
1 May: May DayNo ReleasePartial holiday on Monday
19 May: IPL EndHalf GirlfriendHistorically, a very successful weekend
23 Jun: EIDTubelight2nd biggest weekend
4 Aug: Raksha BandhanNo ReleaseRaksha Bandhan on Monday
11 Aug: Independence DayCrackNational holiday on Tuesday
25 Aug: Ganesh ChaturthiNo releasePartial holiday on Friday
1 Sep: BakridNo releasePartial holiday on Saturday
22 Dec: ChristmasTiger Zinda HaiBiggest weekend of the year
29 Sep: DusseraJudwaaLots of holidays
Gandhi Jayanti on Monday
17 Nov: NormalPadmavatiNo holidays
20 Oct: DiwaliGolmaal 4, Robot 2.03rd biggest weekend
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103 Comments

  • Shahrukh khan has to create a weekend now..there is no other choice…it will be foolishness to clash with other films however big or small they are..he should target a partial holiday and make the most out of it…

  • Shah Rukh Khan isn’t playing any dirty game. He is a man of pride & respect.

    While others were struggling with girlfriends, drink & drive, drugs, arms possession cases, SRK was flying high with national flag across the globe.

  • @Indicine request you to reply to this question
    The IPL 2017 ends on 27th of May. How is Half Girlfriend a post IPL release then? Shouldn’t SRK aim for a first week of June release just like Housefull 3 this year?

    • @Preet, there is no confirmation on whether IPL is ending on 21st or 28th May. Also, we mentioned it as ‘IPL End’ that means a release similar to Tanu Weds Manu Returns.

      Don’t think they’ll target June release for two releases. One, the film might not be ready. Two, Ramzan begins on 24th May.

  • Good stuffs coming from Indicine.
    But one question: why don’t you officially become an advocate for Shahrukh Khan films or one of his managers?
    All best to SRK but never date clash with Crack. It will crack the wedding ring into pieces. Ha ha

  • If he was one of those biggest stars as you claim, it would not be not a struggle for him to find good release dates for his films at first place….. Else, see even new comers,like Varun Dhawan gets release dates without so much difficulties.
    Food for your thoughts!

  • @indicine,
    Adding some words from your previous articles, the following sentence will become like……

    “Salman Khan has CREATED Eid, dominated the weekend and made it his own…”

  • Bakrid is the best option.
    Bakrid is similar to eidulfitar
    Sharukh should bring his every film on bakrid to make it popular.
    It takes couple of years to make 4th biggest weekend of the year.

  • It’s simple..
    If raess thrashes kaabil by a big margin, then go for any date. Go for independence day. Crack will either postpone or it will have a disadvantage because srk is no hritik. He is much bigger than akshay.

    If kaabil thrashes raess by big margin, then go for a normal weekend because another clash loss will shatter srk’s stardom for some time. And akshay will get closer to srk in terms of startdom.

    If the result of raess vs kaabil clash is very close, then go for dusshera weekend because varun dhawan is definitely a future superstar but at present he is not comparable to srk and obviously judwa 2 won’t be bajirao mastani.

  • 25th Aug will be fine because it will get the benefit of Ganesh chaluchhi as well as Bakrid…More than anything else the Movie should be well made and within the budget…Bass rest thing will be automatically in place..

  • Everything will depend on how Dear Zindagi will perform. Low budget movie, releasing with Kahaani 2 on normal weekend. If it can cross 100 crore then it will be a big boost for Raees opening by a big margin and if that happens and Raees beats Kaabil by a big margin then The Ring can clash with any movie on festive season.

  • “Release it directly on television and Internet. I.e the best option..”

    Suggestion by Tiger, which others have missed out.

    To @Indicine Cc @iamsrk

    Ha ha ha. Best option indeed.

  • “”Shah Rukh could also ‘create’ a new weekend and make it his own by having a release during that period every year.””
    Lol..Kya kingu Salman todhi hai ke, aise kuch kar sake..He has always reaped advantages on the periods or opportunities others have created and lobbying and working with the successful people.
    Time has changed. Everyone is being exposed to their real aukaats

  • Srk should release either Pluto (there are many srk fan as per his fan method) or release on Naag panchami. That two options damm good.

  • According to a few Ajay Fans, we should start calling Ajay a bigger star than Akki coz he books Diwali. Lol! They talk as if when their star books a Festival/Holiday, others get scared and immediately make way like for Salman and Aamir.

    The fact here is that no holiday release of Ajay Devgn ever got a solo release. Even if they did, Golmaal 3(big franchise film) was the only one that won the weekend war at the BO.

    In terms of opening:

    JTHJ>Son of Sardaar
    Tees Maar Khan Day 1= 4x (Lifetime of Toonpur ka Superhero)
    Action ReplayyAll the best

    Akki atleast has solo releases on Post-IPL season. Ajay doesn’t even get a solo national holiday without franchise and Rohit Shetty.

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