Tolly ready for epic Pujo box office clash

This Pujo, Bengal’s movie screens are bracing for a face-off between four Bengali films – Raghu Dakat, Raktabeej 2, Devi Chowdhurani and Joto Kando Kolkatatei – all releasing during Pujo.

The clash is further intensified by a new WB government mandate requiring at least one Bengali film to be screened during prime time (3pm to 9pm). This has created a scheduling logjam in an already congested festive season. While the policy assures exposure, the volume of big releases is spawning a conundrum as exhibitors juggle slots, audience demand & high festive stakes.

Durga Puja releases to test new screening rulesThis Pujo, Bengal theatres are facing a screen crunch with Raghu Dakat, Raktabeej 2, Devi Chowdhurani and Joto Kando Kolkatatei releasing together, even as rules mandate 50% prime-time slots for Bengali films; “There will be tough competition between Raghu Dakat, a star-driven film, and Raktabeej 2.

The latter looks equally promising,” said Pranab Roy of Menoka Cinemas, while Satadeep Saha of SSR Cinemas added, “Multiple releases always create issues, but we will manage with prior planning.

”Diverse genres, wider audiencesReleasing four Bengali films at once may seem like a scheduling gamble but could also prove to be a box-office boon. “The combined promotional momentum and diverse genres, from period drama to thrillers, can draw varied demographics to the theatres.

With audiences craving local narratives, this convergence could turn Pujo into a box-office festival,” added Satadeep Saha. “The cumulative budget of these films is over `20-25 crore.

We hope it’ll reflect in the numbers too.”

Bollywood doesn’t release more than two big films at once and here we have four releases. Finding quality slots for each will be a problem– Pranab Roy, exhibitorThe success of Mirza & Khadaan shows audiences in Bengal love action films with good scripts and direction– Satadeep Saha, exhibitor‘Everything boils down to content’With the action-packed festive line-up, exhibitors stress that storytelling, not genre, decides a film’s run beyond the opening weekend.

“Content is king nowadays. The Bengali audience loves a good script, irrespective of genre,” said Amitava Guha Thakurta, zonal head, PVR Inox Ltd. Navin Choukhani of Navina Cinema added, “Audiences have an appetite for good movies. Good stories do great at the box office. Everything boils down to strong content.

” Good storytelling always triumphs over hype or the time of release. We tend to celebrate variety but must also acknowledge that too many simultaneous releases can dilute individual impact– Rosy Rao, a movie-goer

What are movie-goers expecting from the big four

DEVI CHOWDHURANI

Director: Subhrajit MitraCast: Prosenjit Chatterjee, Srabanti Chatterjee, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty, Arjun Chakrabarty, Bibriti Chatterjee, Darshana Banik, Kinjal NandaExpectations: The adaptation of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel promises a powerful portrayal of an underrepresented woman rebel, with its Times Square teaser reveal giving it international gravitas.

RAGHU DAKAT

Director: Dhrubo BanerjeeCast: Dev, Idhika Paul, Anirban Bhattacharya, Sohini Sarkar, Roopa Ganguly, Om SahaniExpectations: Cinephiles await Dev’s intense performance, with the teaser, grand sets & proven Dev–Dhrubo collab raising expectations for a film rich in emotion and cultural memory.

RAKTABEEJ 2

Director: Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad MukherjeeCast: Victor Banerjee, Abir Chatterjee, Mimi Chakraborty, Ankush Hazra, Nussrat Jahan, Koushani Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Anashua MajumdarExpectations: Cinephiles expect the sequel to address conflict, terrorism & national tension with greater scope, spanning global backdrops for both visual & thematic impact.

JOTO KANDO KOLKATATEI

Director: Anik DattaCast: Abir Chatterjee, Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, Paran Bandopadhyay, Mithu ChakrabortyExpectations: Audiences expect the film, a familiar and favourite genre in Bengali cinema, to offer a cerebral yet nostalgic experience.

"Get the latest news updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2."