Word is strong on the ground that S.S.Rajamouli‘s multi-starrer ‘RRR‘ will not keep its Dussehra release after all. The film has set 13th October 2021, which heppens to be the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, as its release date since long. However, things are not all hunky dory it seems. As per trade insiders, RRR is getting delayed – straight to summer 2022!
The reasons for RRR’s delay could be many. The outlook for theatres in the country is poor. Theatres in many crucial markets are still shut – Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala being three important ones. Most places such as Delhi and Punjab have a time limit and 50% occupancy. To top it all, the Covid-19 third wave is looming on the horizon. RRR’s humongous budget means that it must fire at all cylinders in theatres to make a decent ROI. Also, its pan-India film status means it must do good business across India, not just Telugu states. For that to happen, it needs a decent release in as many screens as possible across the country. Looking at the cons, maybe Dussehra 2021 isn’t a good date for the theatrical release of RRR after all.
Interestingly, RRR’s delay does not bode well for another, equally buzzing film. That film is Yash‘s KGF Chapter 2. Just like RRR, it is a pan-India film. In fact, audiences all over the country are waiting eagerly for the second chapter of the blockbuster KGF to release. If a stacked-with-stars film like RRR does not have confidence to do good box office numbers across India two months down the line, then it is obvious that KGF will face an even more difficult situation.
KGF Chapter 2 is caught in a weird place. The film has been ready for release for quite some time now. The Covid-19 second wave forced it to postpone release from its July date. Then for some reason known only to producers Hombale Films, KGF Chapter 2 has been dilly-dallying in announcing a new release date. Its indecisiveness has cost it dear. All festival release dates have been taken up one after the other, with multiple releases happening on all dates – Diwali is gone, Christmas is taken and Sankranti has been snapped up by not one but four biggies.
RRR’s lack of confidence in releasing in theatres in the current situation will have a negative rub-off effect on the KGF Chapter 2 release date. We won’t be surprised if KGF Chapter 2 is pushed further ahead to release on Holi 2022 or in the summer of 2022.
The present is not looking too rosy for either film, RRR or KGF Chapter 2, theatrical release wise. And the immediate future seems thorny too. Now all we can do is wait and watch how the cards play out. For KGF Chapter 2, it is all about RRR and the box office litmus test it has to go through.
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