Now, will it be Akshay v/s Aamir?

Exhibitors are keen not to make the mistake of signing a two-week deal with Aamir and Akshay's film after the SOS and JTHJ fiasco

After the much-talked about war between Ajay Devgn and YRF Films over the exhibition of their respective films, the war between Aamir Khan's upcoming thriller and Akshay Kumar's film seem to be heating up. However the exhibitors are not biting the bait and are not signing the two-week contract.

Prominent exhibitor D Y Patni from the Gujarat-Saurashtra circuit said, I think we all are waiting to get out of this one situation and then even think about the other one. I guess all the exhibitors have realised one thing that no film or no business is worth al these mess. No one will sign any agreement and that is for sure. It's a small industry and we are few distributors and exhibitors.

I don't think it is fair to keep one happy and one unhappy. Now decisions will be made keeping the films in mind. I think we will only be fair to every film and will not like to spoil any relations with anyone.`

Hemant Shah of Tilak Exhibitors says, The situation is that we are very clear that if collections of Talaash are good we will continue. Everything depends on the film. There will be no prior commitment on any film. I can't deny the fact that it is an Aamir Khan film but one has to now go by merit and that is going to be our stand.

Sunil Bansal a prominent distributor from Rajasthan said, I think it is too premature to take any sides. I don't think anyone will even book right now and everyone wants to wait and see the results of these two films. I think at least in Rajasthan no one is booking any film for two weeks and rest of the country I can't speak of.

Another prominent distributor from Delhi says, Talaash was to be released in June and they had booked two weeks from that time. So, I think the exhibitors will have to go with that. People have signed so it has to be valid.

A Mumbai exhibitor adds, Our stand is very clear. Either the producer has to stand by his two weeks and give us assurance of the collections or else we will not. While Talaash looks like a class film, Khiladi is a massy entertainer like how Akshay Kumar films are. We do not wish to choose one from the other. We will not book the theatre for two weeks for anyone henceforth.

Another exhibitor from Thane said, Khiladi 786 songs are doing well and seems a film that will attract audience at our theatres. On the other hand Talaash seems like a film for multiplex so the choice for us is very clear. However on one hand is Aamir Khan while the other is Akshay Kumar, we will run the films on their merits.

The big clash

All eyes are now on Ajay Devgn's Son of Sardar and Shah Rukh Khan's Jab Tak Hai Jaan which hit the marquee today. The exhibitor's fight not withstanding, both the films stand to have a huge opening and ultimately the better film will work and turn out to be a success. All said and done the film trade will be happy as both the films will definitely bring in audience to the cinema halls making investors happy.

On the other hand, last Friday's releases have nothing to write home about. They have all proved to be disasters at the box office.

The earlier weeks release makes 1920-Evil Returns (one more hit from the Vikram Bhatt camp) with collections of Rs 19.11 in its first week and Rs 5.04 crore in its second weekend make the grand total of Rs 24.15. On the other hand Luv Shuv Tey Chiken Khurana has collected Rs 7.25 in its first 10 days with Rs 1 crore in its second weekend.