Why director couldn't avoid clash between 'Mr Bachchan,' 'Double iSmart'
What's the story
The Telugu film industry is preparing for a significant box office clash as two major films, Ravi Teja's Mr Bachchan and Ram Pothineni's Double iSmart, are both scheduled for release on August 15.
Not only are Telugu films set for a clash, but three major Bollywood films are also scheduled to compete: Stree 2, Vedaa, and Khel Khel Mein.
Now, this impending showdown has prompted Harish Shankar, the director of Mr Bachchan, to publicly address the issue.
Director's perspective
'Nothing like Puri Jagan 'garu' and I are at loggerhead...'
In a conversation with Gulte, Shankar shared his thoughts on the upcoming box-office clash.
He expressed deep respect for Puri Jagannadh, the director of Double iSmart, and clarified that there was no ill will between them.
During the interview, Shankar clarified the air by stating, "Even if the clash happened, there is nothing like Puri Jagan garu and I are at loggerheads."
Clarifications
Shankar explained his decision to release the film on I-Day
Further, Shankar addressed rumors about Jagannadh unfollowing him on X/Twitter.
He revealed that he became aware of this through a meme related to their films' clash.
"Though Charmme garu has unfollowed me on Twitter which I didn't check personally but came to know through a meme, I hope that everyone will understand the situation."
He clarified that the decision to release Mr Bachchan on August 15 was based on distribution logistics and not competition with Double iSmart.
Distribution problems
Is this all happened because of Netflix?
Netflix has secured the digital rights for Mr Bachchan, investing a substantial amount to do so.
As part of the deal, the streaming giant has imposed a release window on the filmmakers.
To fit their schedule, Netflix has already planned its Telugu film releases for the year and insisted that Mr Bachchan be released between September 15 and 20.
Under this pressure, the producers—People Media Factor, had no option but to comply, scheduling the film for the Independence Day weekend.
Box office battle
'Mr Bachchan' to face additional competition on release day
In addition to Double iSmart, Mr Bachchan will also face competition from other films releasing on the same day.
These include Thangaalan, starring Vikram and Malvika Mohanan, and Raghu Thatha, featuring Keerthy Suresh.
Allu Arjun's film Pushpa 2 was initially set for an August 15 release as well but has since been rescheduled to a different date.
To note, Mr Bachchan is an official remake of the successful Hindi film Raid, starring Ajay Devgn.