Christmas 2017: Rajkumar Hirani to take on Salman Khan

The top superstar in the industry vs the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful director of the current century. The director of films like 3 Idiots, PK and the Munnabhai series, Rajkumar Hirani, has confirmed that his next film will release during the Christmas weekend this year.

In a statement, the director said “It (Sanjay Dutt biopic) goes on the floors today, January 14, and Sanju will give the clap. We are one big family. We hope to wrap it up by June and are targeting a Christmas 2017 release”

He added “It’s not a film about guns, drugs and the underworld. It’s a feel-good film about a father-son relationship with Paresh Rawal playing Sunil Dutt and Ranbir as Sanju. A buddy film with Sanju’s many friends adding up to one from the US, played by Vicky Kaushal”

It could be one of the most interesting clashes of all time, as Salman Khan has already booked the biggest weekend of the year for his keenly-awaited film ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ directed by Ali Abbas Zafar.

On star-value, there is absolutely no comparison. Salman Khan is light years ahead of Ranbir Kapoor when it comes to sheer pan-India box office pull and ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ is likely to be far more commercial too. But the factor that could tilt the clash in favour of the ‘Sanjay Dutt biopic’ is going to be content. The audience, especially at multiplexes where the ticket prices are high, do not usually spend on two films in the same week. Instead, they pick the better film.

The momentum shifts quite quickly too, like we have seen when Bajirao Mastani and Dilwale clashed at the box office during Christmas in 2015. Dilwale held a huge lead on the first day, but failed to sustain. Bajirao Mastani went from strength to strength, convincingly winning the clash by a fair margin.

The problem for ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ could be bigger, because a Rajkumar Hirani film has never failed at the box office and his films tend to be far more entertaining and commercial as compared to a Sanjay Leela Bhansali magnum opus.

However, unlike the previous two occasions when his films smashed all-time records – Hirani doesn’t have a major superstar like Aamir Khan, who lends tremendous reach to his films. This time around, he has the most promising actor from the younger generation of stars.

The power that a banner like Yash Raj Films has in distributing films cannot be ignored either, it’s their biggest film of the year, a costly one too. They are expected to go all out to make ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ the biggest film of the year.

Against any other actor or director, Salman would’ve smashed his way through. Even Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who first announced his film for Christmas, decided to keep his ‘Padmavati’ a full month away from ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’.

But Rajkumar Hirani, if in form, is in a different league altogether.

Update: To add one more point, budget-wise the clash will heavily be in favour of the ‘Dutt Biopic’. ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ will be one of the costliest films of the year.

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206 Comments

  • Cant wait for best directer and best actor combo sanju baba next will be sure shot blockbuster
    Can’t wait xmas 2017

  • If any film can break business record of #Dangal so that will be only #Dutt! Even ppl will come to know how good human being is Sanjay Dutt.

  • Dutt Biopic will do 200 crore max if released solo since these is no Aamir to help Raju Hirani this time.
    But if it clashes with TZH, it will struggle to cross 120 crore.

  • Downfall of Salman Khan begins from Here onwards.
    Dilwale did 400 cr worldwide with clash against Bajirao Mastani . Lets c what Tiger Zinda Hai can do.
    For ur kind info Megastar Salman khan has lost clash with Ranbir Kapoor way back in 2008 ( Bachano Hai Hasseno nd God Tussi Great Ho ) .
    Expecting another classic from Raju Hirani.

  • Ha ha . Put salman must have been dreaming of showing aamir what a real superstar can do with free release in Christmas. Now won’t even cross 300cr.

  • #Dilwale did 150 crs clashing with BM.M really looking forward to see how much #TZH will collect clashing with #Dutt . Let see SUPER STARDOM but i think #tigerzinda hai will do max 120cr

  • Ha ha ha.. Joke of the day
    Heart attack to Salman Fans.. don’t worry Salman wil win the race.. Salman weekend collections will be Life time collections of Rajkumar Hirani’s film..

  • Even if the content of Dutt biopic is as good as PK, it will not cross 200 crore as there is no Khan factor.
    TZH will thrash Sanjay Dutt Biopic.

  • But Rajkumar Hirani, if in form, is in different league altogether.
    Very well said Indicine.
    Budget wise Dutt’s biopic will be safe one.

  • Ranbir is the biggest superstar of young generation with tremendous fan following in cities and hirani is the biggest director india has ever produced. Together these two will destroy salman’s tiger zinda hai.

  • Raju Hirani Is Not A Eid Made Or Holidays Made Director Like Others ! He Gave Blockbusters Even With Sanjay Dutt ,Now He Has Future Superstar Ranbir With Him , Problems Are Big For Tiger Zinda Hai coz Salman Without Eid Is Like Tiger Without It’s Teeth

  • I will watch Tiger zinda ha all the way because Sanjay dutt biopic is not going to have grand sets neither the story seems interesting Raju Sir should postpone his movie to 26 Jan 2018 it could be good date if clash happens Dutt biopic would be smashed badly by Tiger zinda ha

  • Salman >>> Raju Hirani. Salman doesnt require content to give 300 crore grossers. His name is enough to cross 300 crore.

    Even if TZH shows Salman trimming grass in a garden for 3 hours, it will cross 300 crore.
    Even if Raju Hirani’s film is 10 times better than 3 Idiots, it will not cross 30 crore lifetime due to clash with Salman.

  • Hirani can’t compete w/ Salman khan,without AAmir khan hirani film can’t do 150cr,like Adi chopra’s 3 films were blockbuster w/ srk but w/ Ranveer befikre was flop…hirani will avoid this clash

  • Who ever release any movie Just waiting for Raees..
    Eid and Christmas = Republic day
    It’s called Raees Day – 25th Jan
    Everyone will remember Republic day from 2018 as Raees Release day

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