'Chhaava' eyes two new dates to avoid 'Pushpa 2' clash
In a smart move to avoid a box office clash, the makers of Vicky Kaushal's historical epic Chhaava have reportedly decided to push its release from December 6. This move guarantees that Allu Arjun's much-awaited sequel Pushpa 2 will now have an unchallenged release across India on December 5. Producer Dinesh Vijan and director Laxman Utekar are reportedly mulling over two dates for Chhaava's premiere—December 20 or January 10, per PeepingMoon.
'Chhaava' faces potential competition on new dates
Per the report, if Chhaava releases on December 20, it will face competition from Hollywood's most-awaited film of the year: Mufasa: The Lion King. Although not a direct threat, the animated movie could spring a surprise at the box office considering its predecessor's strong performance in India. Additionally, Varun Dhawan's action film Baby John also releases on December 25, which could dilute Chhaava's box office impact.
'Chhaava' may share screens with 'Game Changer' on Sankranti weekend
Alternatively, a Sankranti weekend release would have Chhaava sharing screens with Ram Charan's and S Shankar's Game Changer. The Telugu political action drama is scheduled to premiere on January 10 after several delays. However, it isn't likely to pose a major threat due to low interest among Hindi audiences. This could give the high-budget production of Chhaava a relatively non-competitive environment.
January 10 release seems more likely for 'Chhaava'
However, sources indicate that Chhaava is more likely to premiere on January 10, as Maddock Films has already booked the date for another production, Ekkis. With the Sriram Raghavan-directed biopic not ready for release, Vijan intends to use this slot for Chhaava. It would be a smart move as the film would get a wide release and face no competition until Vijan's own production Sky Force releases on Republic Day weekend on January 24.
'Chhaava' is a historical epic based on the Maratha king
Chhaava is a historical epic based on the life of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, with Kaushal playing the titular role. Directed by Utekar, the film is adapted from Shivaji Sawant's Marathi novel of the same name. It stars Rashmika Mandanna, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Ashutosh Rana, and Divya Dutta in pivotal roles. Oscar Award-winning composer AR Rahman has composed the music for this film.
