Raees, Sultan clash: Farhan hopes biz won’t be affected

With his Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Raees and Salman Khan’s Sultan expected to clash at the box office next year, actor-producer Farhan Akhtar is hoping that the business of the two movies would not be affected.

Action-thriller Raees, produced by Farhan’s Excel Entertainment and directed by Rahul Dholakia, is slated to release on Eid next year, competing with Aditya Chopra’s “Sultan”.

When asked if the big clash will really happen, said Farhan, “That we will see... Let the date come around. We are releasing our film on Eid, will they also release the same time, that Salman Khan will decide,” said Farhan.

On if he thinks the business (of the two movies) will be affected, the filmmaker said, “I would hope not.” According to Farhan, however, the clash will be a great fun for the audience.

“I think it will be great for audience... They will have a wonderful Eid,” he said.

In 2006 also, Shah Rukh-starrer Don released alongside Salman’s Jaan-E-Mann. Don became a superhit, while Jaan-E-Mann failed to create magic at the box office.

In Bollywood, often festive releases are blocked by the Khans. To this Farhan said, “There is no such thing called block a date... You can’t block a date. Anyone can release their film on any day if they want to, and if not then it’s their choice. I don’t believe in that. I don’t think those people believe in that either.”

“If you have a festive release date, it is easier to recall, like Raees releasing on Eid, but one doesn’t know what date Eid is. So there is an association that happens with it,” he said.