The difference in the approach of Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan to film releases has created a big debate in Bollywood.
Akshay Kumar is a producer in himself, he releases 4-5 films a year, each in different genres- from comedies like Housefull 5 to patriotic dramas like Sky Force and Kesari Chapter 2.
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This ensures a constant presence at the box office and keeps his fan base engaged, most of his films give ₹90-100 crore each and contributes to the industry’s revenue.
Aamir Khan on the other hand takes a selective approach, he releases a film every 3-4 years.
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His latest Sitaare Zameen Par released after a 3 year gap since Laal Singh Chaddha.
Despite heavy promotions and high expectations the film opened with ₹10 crore on day one, ₹20 crore on day two and ₹30 crore on Sunday, total ₹60 crore for the opening weekend.
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But the jump in collections has raised eyebrows among trade analysts, with allegations of inflated numbers through self-bookings, block bookings and corporate bookings-a practice which is being increasingly scrutinized in Bollywood.
Sitaare Zameen Par is expected to finish with a lifetime collection of ₹150-200 crore- decent for a non-masala film, but questions remain about the sustainability and authenticity of these numbers especially when compared to the organic numbers of Akshay Kumar’s multiple releases.
Unless a superstar like Aamir delivers a massive blockbuster (₹500-600 crore, as Shah Rukh Khan did with Pathaan and Jawan), the infrequent high profile release strategy may not justify itself, especially if the box office performance is only decent and not extraordinary.
Ultimately Akshay Kumar’s model with frequent releases and consistent box office returns seems to be more beneficial for the industry and his own brand, he offers variety to the audience and stability to the exhibitors.
Unless the rare event film delivers a record breaking result, the steady multi film approach seems to have the edge in today’s Bollywood.
