So which one of the two titans will lead at the box office this weekend? While Yash Raj Films’ War 2 clearly has the edge in the Hindi belt, Rajinikanth’s Coolie is hard to beat in the South.
I asked some of the actors from both films to comment on the clash. While no one from War 2 is allowed to comment by Yash Raj Films, Nagarjuna and Aamir Khan who play pivotal parts in Coolie, spoke exclusively to this writer.
Says Nag, “I think both are very strong films with great boxoffice draw . Both have a North-South appeal. Hrithik and Tarak (NTR) in War 2, Rajini Sir , me and Aamir in Coolie. So both should and must do well.”
Aamir is opposed to calling it a clash. “Why are you looking at it as a battle? Why can’t the two films co-exist at the box-office? If you remember, my Lagaan was released on the same Friday as Gadar. And both were blockbusters. I am hopeful that War 2 and Coolie would meet the same fate.”
Says trade guru Taran Adarsh, “It’s the clash of the titans — War 2 versus Coolie. As things stand today, War 2 has secured the maximum screens in North India and is expected to lead in the Hindi version. Coolie, meanwhile, has taken a commanding lead in overseas markets and is sure to dominate in Tamil Nadu. The craze for the Rajinikanth – director Lokesh Kanagaraj combination is nothing short of phenomenal. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Jr NTR’s immense popularity will ensure a thunderous start for War 2. For now, it’s a wait-and-watch situation. This is one of the biggest clashes ever, and come Thursday — when both films release — it will ultimately be the content that does the talking. With a long weekend ahead, one can only hope that both War 2 and Coolie score big at the box-office.”
Producer and boxoffice analyst Girish Johar opines, “I think the audience profile is pretty clear. North will lap up War 2 while the audiences down south will go berserk for Coolie. It’s a big long weekend and fortunately both films has generated huge curiosity amongst its fans. I am going to watch both. In overseas it is clearly Rajni-mania as Coolie is bound to take a huge start there.”
Trade expert Atul Mohan surmises, “Coolie is making an all-out effort to win over audiences in the North ,even roping in Aamir Khan to strengthen its appeal. However, the positioning seems clear: War 2 is being geared towards the Hindi belt, while Coolie is aimed primarily at the South. That said, War 2 is likely to enjoy a stronger foothold in the Telugu market as well, thanks to the massive fan base of Jr. NTR, which extends far beyond Andhra and Telangana.”
