Bollywood will take on cricket this summer

Bollywood will take on cricket this summer

In a country where ‘cricket is religion’, Bollywood has always had a tough time coexisting with it during important series and seasons. But the number of Hindi films poised for release in the middle of the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) fifth season is a clear indication that Bollywood no longer feels threatened by cricket. It is estimated that nearly Rs300 crore is riding on more than 20 small to medium budget films, which are scheduled for release between April and early June this year. Trade pundits say the summer vacation has always been a lucrative period for Hindi films. But after IPL was launched in 2008, producers desisted from releasing their films during this time. “In the absence of Hindi films, cinema halls had no option but to screen IPL matches to increase revenue. Now the situation appears to have changed,” says Bollywood trade consultant Amod Mehra. A case in point is the Akshay Kumar-John Abraham starrer Housefull 2 (made at an estimated budget of Rs65 crore) which was released on Friday. Despite being panned by critics, the film got a flying start and is expected to do more business in the coming weeks. “IPL makes an appearance every year, but big entertainers with a multi-star cast don’t come often,” says the film’s producer Sajid Nadiadwala. Other filmmakers too are unfazed by the cricket season and are going ahead with their scheduled releases. Industry insiders point out that since IPL has now become an annual event there is no point in wasting the summer months by not releasing their films. “We are trying to capitalise on the fact that audiences dont follow all the matches. And they will come to see movies with engaging content,” says Habib Faisal, director of Ishaqzaade, which is releasing on May 11. Among other films slated for release between April and June are Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Ferrari Ki Sawaari, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Rowdy Rathore, Kunal Kohli’s Teri Meri Kahani, Priyadarshan’s Tezz, Mukesh Bhatt’s Jannat 2, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures’ Department and Vikram Bhatt’s Dangerous Ishhq. These films have a budget between Rs25 crore and Rs60 crore. While some are releasing their films to coincide with the IPL matches, others have decided to release immediately after the tournament gets over in May so that they don’t clash at the box office. Actor Emraan Hashmi sums up the prevalent mood in Bollywood by saying, “We are not afraid of IPL. In fact, IPL should be afraid of us.”