#NewsBytesExplainer: Understanding how major box office clashes impact films
What's the story
Box office and clashes? A tale as old as time.
Filmmakers often book opportune dates for their movies' release: a long weekend, a public holiday, or the festive season, among other advantageous occasions.
This, in turn, leads to the clash of the titans, with numerous movies arriving the same day.
While this leads to a conundrum for fans, what are its other ramifications?
Impact of clash
The clash leads to the division of screens
To maximize the movie's prospects at the box office, festivals such as Eid, Holi, and Diwali are often multiple producers' go-to options.
However, this leads to the inevitable division of screens, and since theatrical watches are an expensive affair, the more popular film/actor takes the cake.
Footfalls are also dependent on the marketing and on-ground buzz of the flicks that release the same day.
Clash aversion
Postponing movies, releasing them on OTT: How makers avoid clashes
Ever since the emergence of multiple OTT platforms, makers have also started to release their movies digitally, and this helps in averting the clash.
While there are no box office collections per se, producers still reap profits through digital and streaming rights.
Another tried-and-tested method to minimize financial losses is by pushing the project's release—Shehzada did it recently to rescue itself from Pathaan's rampage.
Past clashes
These are the major clashes that rocked BO recently
Last year, Ajay Devgn-Sidharth Malhotra's Thank God battled it out with Akshay Kumar-Jacqueline Fernandez starrer Ram Setu.
Both projects were released on Diwali.
In addition to that, Janhvi Kapoor's Mili, Katrina Kaif's Phone Bhoot, and Sonakshi Sinha-Huma Qureshi fronted Double XL had released on November 4.
The Sankranti weekend in January also witnessed a tussle between Varisu, Thunivu, Veera Simha Reddy, and Waltair Veerayya.
Upcoming clashes
Keep an eye out for these theatrical confrontations
Bollywood is gearing up for some big clashes this year.
On August 11, Ranbir Kapoor-Rashmika Mandanna's Animal will lock horns with Sunny Deol-Ameesha Patel starrer Gadar 2: The Katha Continues.
Not too long after, both these films will be in contention with Vivek Agnihotri's The Vaccine War, which will release on August 15.
John Abraham's Tariq will also get released on Independence Day.
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