'Raksha Bandhan' v/s 'Laal Singh Chaddha': Advance booking numbers
August 11 will be a decisive day for Bollywood since it will mark the clash of two biggies: Akshay Kumar's Raksha Bandhan and Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha. While Khan's film is an adaptation of the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump, Kumar's drama is a story set in the heartland of India. Reportedly, Laal Singh Chaddha is leading by a huge margin in the advance bookings.
Why does this story matter?
Khan has pinned a lot of hopes on LSC, considering the film will mark his return to celluloid after the debacle of Thugs of Hindostan (2018). It also marks his reunion with his Talaash and 3 Idiots co-actor Kareena Kapoor Khan. On the other hand, Kumar's recent releases—Samrat Prithviraj and Bachchhan Paandey—were critical and commercial failures, so it is crucial that Raksha Bandhan clicks.
'LSC' is leading the race at the box office
As per BoxOfficeIndia, LSC is heading toward Rs. 8cr (nett) in advance bookings, with most of the remuneration pouring in from Delhi-NCR circuits. The Aanand L Rai directorial Raksha Bandhan is expected to earn about Rs. 3cr, which is strikingly less compared to Khan's dramedy. Although this amount is lesser than that of LSC, it is reportedly still better than Kumar's last two releases.
'LSC' was supposed to release in April earlier
The tradition of releasing films on festivals isn't new in Bollywood, and Salman Khan is particularly known for treating fans with new releases on Eid. This time, these two films have locked the August 11 date to capitalize on two holidays: Rakshabandhan and Independence Day. Notably, LSC was supposed to release in April 2022 but was later postponed, avoiding a clash with KGF 2.
Few other films will clash at the box office, too
Ajay Devgn, Siddharth Malhotra, and Rakul Preet Singh's Thank God is expected to lock horns with Kumar's Ram Setu. Both films are slated for a Diwali release this year. Moreover, Amitabh Bachchan, Rashmika Mandanna, and Neena Gupta's upcoming film GoodBye may find itself clashing with Rajkummar Rao-Jahnvi Kapoor's Mr. and Mrs. Mahi on October 7. However, an official confirmation on this is still awaited.
