Ever since 2009, Salman Khan has made a tradition out of releasing the one movie he acts in every year on Eid. He began this from film ‘Wanted’ which saw phenomenal success when released on Eid that year.
Since then he has had a Eid release every year — Dabangg (2010), Bodyguard (2011), Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and Kick (2014). Talking about why he prefers Eid releases, Salman says, “During the festive season, families get time to watch films together. A lot of my movies have released on Eid, and I am very happy that Bajrangi Bhaijaan will again be releasing on Eid this year.”
But this year, why are the theatres of Nagpur that are releasing Bajrangi Bhaijan not geared up yet with this BIG release though there are only ten days to go for Eid?
Balram Gehani, a big fan of Salman in Nagpur and leader of Salman Fan club, is very despondent about this. He is a clothes salesman by profession but his real and only passion in life is to “follow” Salman and undertake activities in Nagpur, like Swachata abhiyans, in His name.
He and his friends have been eagerly looking forward to seeing Bajrangi Bhaijaan on first day, first show in some Nagpur theatre as is their habit. Thus, today he made the chakkars of all theatres where Salman movies normally release. Like -Liberty , Alankar , Smruti, Panchsheel and Kamal and asked for tickets. Forget getting them, he says the theatres have no news of this movie’s release , they have not been intimated anything…and have not recieved posters and other publicity material either.
“Pata nahi ye kya ho raha hai..subah se sabse poocha bole papar me bhi nahi aaya ab tak?” Says Balram.” Lekin roj theatres ke chakkar lagaaoonga jab tak kuch ata nahee”.
Amar Butala, co-producer and COO of Salman Khan Films, has said, “With every passing year, Eid has become synonymous with Salman Khan. Traditionally in Bollywood, Diwali, Independence Day, Republic Day and Christmas have been considered big release windows. But it was Salman’s Wanted that made Eid a lucrative window. Since 2009, he has set new box-office records. With Bajrangi Bhaijaan this year, Salman is also a producer, and we hope to exceed our previous records.”
Kabir Khan, the director of Bajrangi Bhaijan, recalls the success of the actor’s past Eid releases. “Three years ago, I witnessed, from close quarters, the hysteria that surrounds a Salman release on Eid. The Ek Tha Tiger release hysteria was a phenomenon that had to be seen to be believed. Over the past decade, watching a Salman film has almost become an integral part of Eid celebrations. As we are approaching Eid this year, I can already feel that familiar sense of public euphoria building up. Can’t wait for Eid to bring on Bajrangi Bhaijaan,” he says.
Kabir Khan – why is that sense of euphoria not visible in Nagpur?
