SRK's 'Dunki' versus Prabhas's 'Salaar'—who'll win clash on December 22
Mark your calendars. December 22 will pit two humongous stars against each other since Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki and Prabhas's Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire will be released the same day. While Dunki had booked this date long ago, Salaar made this decision only recently, after letting go of the September 28 slot. Who'll win this clash of the titans? Let's weigh their chances.
'Dunki': Will be an out-and-out SRK show
Dunki's biggest USP is Khan, who has collaborated with director Rajkumar Hirani for the first time. SRK has had a terrific year with Pathaan and Jawan setting unprecedented box office records, and he is looking to strike a hattrick with Dunki now. While the previous two were action bonanzas, Dunki will be a dramedy, a genre people have been yearning to see Khan in.
'Salaar': A test of Prabhas's stardom
Prashanth Neel's Salaar, on the other hand, will be eyeing to encash Prabhas's popularity and stardom in the South Indian states, especially in Andhra Pradesh. Even though Prabhas's Saaho, Radhe Shyam, and more recently Adipurush had received extremely negative reviews, his stardom remains intact, and people throng theaters in large numbers to support their favorite "Rebel Star." This will benefit Salaar hugely.
Hirani's record: A maker of modern-day masterpieces
Hirani is one of the most successful filmmakers in India with a 100% track record and all his films—Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, PK, and Sanju have been lauded critically and commercially. He takes time with his films, but the result often exceeds expectations, and he is now expected to replicate his past successes with Dunki, an immigration-based drama.
Neel's record: He garnered attention in last few years
Neel rose to nationwide prominence with KGF: Chapter 1 (2018) and KGF: Chapter 2 (2022). Starring Yash, both these films were pan-India releases and elevated Yash to superstardom and Neel emerged as a force to be reckoned with. While Salaar's pan-Indian reach is tough to predict, it will certainly do well in South Indian regions, owing to Neel's popularity in the Kannada-speaking areas.
Neel has an affinity toward clashes!
Even though Neel is only three films old in the industry, he seems to have an affinity for big box office clashes. To note, in 2018, his KGF: Chapter 1 clashed with SRK's Zero, and the former reigned supreme while Zero was trampled down. Then, in 2022, his KGF 2 locked horns with Thalpathy Vijay's Beast, and both were commercially successful.
