Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has said that his film Raees, directed by Rahul Dholakia, will hit screens during Eid 2016.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, SRK said that his distribution office feels that ‘Raees’ is designed for Eid, the period during which Salman Khan’s Sultan is also scheduled to release.
“There is no issue. Let them also release. It’s very simple: their distribution and production offices feel their film should release on Eid, while my distribution office feels that ours is designed for Eid. So, we both have decided, but there’s no clash the way it’s being made out to be.”
Pointing out that films starring him in the lead have won clashes more often than not, the superstar said that ‘clashes’ are normal since there are 300 films releasing every year and there are only 52 Fridays.
“Films will come and go. But honestly, it’s fortunate that whenever my film has released with another one, we have, by God’s grace, been safe every time. It doesn’t make me pompous when I say that my film has done well. There’s a simple logic — there are 300 films and 52 Fridays. There are going to be six films releasing on the same day. Sometimes, it happens to be mine. The idea is to do our best and wish the other person also the very best”
The actor also advised producers not to announce the release date of their films before it goes on floors.
“My production company will never do two things – we are not derogatory about any film, and, we don’t announce the release date of our movies as soon as they are announced. I feel it is the most stupid and redundant exercise producers follow. People say, ‘An actor has agreed to do the film, so let’s make a big announcement that it will be coming on Diwali.’ I am like, ‘First shoot the film.’ I have shot for all my three upcoming films, that’s why I am releasing them. I could have announced their release dates much earlier. Raees was planned two years back. But I don’t announce them in advance. I often tell Karan (Johar; director), ‘Why are you announcing it so much in advance? Shoot first.’ Our company has a simple funda — when we finish 50% of our shoot, only then are we somewhat assured that it will be completed.”
While Karan Johar has announced the release date of films like ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and ‘Shhuddhi’ months before the films going on floors, the makers of ‘Sultan’ too have announced their film for ‘Eid’ about 3 months before the film goes on floors.
Soon after the ‘Sultan’ announcement, Salman spoke about his ‘Jaan-e-Mann’ vs ‘Don’ clash in 2006.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but both ‘Raees’ and ‘Sultan’ are scheduled as Eid releases. It is perhaps the best thing to happen. People will try to accommodate both the films by building more theatres and lots more screens. There will be more excitement for fans. SRK and I will work much harder and pray that both films will be better. I love Shah Rukh a lot and I don’t think he needs to worry at all because the last time our movies came together he had beaten me. So, even if ‘Sultan’ and ‘Raees’ are releasing on the same day, loss mera hi hoga (it’ll be my loss)”
The clash has generated tremendous buzz because Salman has been at the peak of stardom, especially during the festive season of Eid. On the other hand, SRK, during the same period, delivered the highest box office grosser of all time when Chennai Express released back in 2013.