If all goes according to plan Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar
will slug it out at the box office this Diwali. The two
superstars' films – Chandni Chowk to China and Billoo Barber –
are to release on the very same day, October 22!
This is however not the first time the two actors have locked
horns at the box office. The first time their films hit the
screens together was on November 12, 2004. Shah Rukh Khan's
Veer-Zaara and Akshay Kumar's Aitraaz hit the marquee
simultaneously.
The Yash Chopra-directed Veer-Zaara starred Shah Rukh Khan,
Preity Zinta and Rani Mukerji. And according to trade reports,
it was made on an approximate budget of Rs 25 crore. Veer-Zaara
garnered a net approximate of Rs 41 crore through box office
collections.
Aitraaz on the other hand starred Akshay Kumar and Priyanka
Chopra in the lead roles. Neither was as big as they are today.
Needless to say the budget of the film was far smaller.
The Abbas-Mustan directed Aitraaz was reportedly made on a
budget of Rs 14 crore and collected a net approximate of Rs 37
crore.
This was perhaps the first sign of Akshay Kumar's rise in the
Bollywood circles. Yet somehow this went unnoticed largely
because 2004 was the year of Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh had three
big releases that year – Main Hoon Na, Veer-Zaara and Swades –
and all three films made huge money at the box office.
What goes around comes around, they say. Not many may have
perceived Akshay Kumar as a threat then. But was quite evident
that Shah Rukh Khan did.
So in 2006 despite repeated requests from Shirish Kunder, Shah
Rukh Khan refused to postpone the release of Don and avoid a
clash with the Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan-starrer Jaan-E-Mann.
Don and Jaan-E-Mann released on October 20, 2006. The slickly
packaged Don trounced Jaan-E-Mann on which barely managed to
recover costs. Don was made at an approximate budget of Rs 24
crore and collected about Rs 51 crore (net) at the box office.
Jaan-E-Maan was made at an approximate budget of Rs 30 crore and
collected approximately Rs 27 crore (nett) at the box office.
While the first clash went unnoticed, by 2006 Akshay Kumar's
rise was becoming more and more evident. Just before this film
Akki had a hit in Mujshe Shaadi Karogi, which also starred
Salman Khan. So when the two teamed up again and took on Shah
Rukh Khan, many heads turned. After all no one had challenged
the King yet.
It seemed strange to many that Shah Rukh Khan, known to be quite
generous to his friends, should turn down Shirish Kunder, Farah
Khan's husband. Shah Rukh had reportedly told Shirish to shift
the release date of his film if he so wished to make money at
the box office. But the film released as per schedule and was
left reeling.
Cut to 2009 when the two stars have found themselves facing each
other again. This time though things have indeed come to a head.
By performing at the Unforgettable tour with the Bachchans,
Akshay Kumar has very clearly announced his loyalties. It's war!
Shah Rukh Khan has never lost a war at the box office during
Diwali. However if insiders are to be believed, Kuselan may just
prove to be that one exception.
King Khan is reportedly very miffed at being outrun by
Rajinikanth. Rajini's Kuselan was supposed to release during
Diwali. And so was Shah Rukh's. But the Southern actor showed
just why he is called the Superstar and managed to get the film
ready for release on August 1. What's more? The Hindi dubbed
version of the Rajini-starrer is also supposed to hit the
screens on the same day.
Says a source, "This move will affect Shah Rukh's film
adversely. Moreover, Kadha Parayumbol (of which Kuselan is a
remake) is a film that the rural audiences will connect with
better. Shah Rukh has a very urbane fan base and that's just one
of the reasons why he should be worrying."
Moreover, industry insiders insist that going by the first look
of Chandni Chowk to China, it may just be the film that will
topple Kuselan.
This time though tables have turned. Akshay Kumar's film has
been made on a much bigger budget. Rs 65 crore have been
reportedly spent on the production of Chandni Chowk to China and
an additional Rs 10 crore are being spent on publicity. Billoo
Barber is made on an approximate budget of Rs 20 crore with an
additional budget of Rs 10 crore for publicity.
More over Akshay Kumar features high up in the Bachchans’
to-bond-with list. A source present at the unforgettable tour
says, “A major power re-structuring is happening with the
Bachchans and Akshay coming together for the Unforgettable world
tour.At the press conference on the tour, Ash clearly said that
while she had done shows with the Khiladi, it wasn’t enough.
During his act in Toronto Akshay, ran down from the dais towards
Abhishek with, ‘And now I will get my good friend Abhishek on
the stage’.
Akshay is the only challenger to King Khan, and that makes this
jugalbandi interesting. Akshay and the Big B have always bonded
well but now with the AB and AK coming together, the
Unforgettables tour will have a point to prove against the
overseas might of Shah Rukh Khan.