A major battle is brewing between two big films, Pushpa 2: The Rule and the upcoming Baby John, over theatre space. As Pushpa 2 keeps performing well at the box office, its bookings for the next weekend are causing confusion, with many theatres not yet selling tickets. The cause of this delay is a clash between the distributors of both films.
Baby John To Lose Some Screens As Anil Thadani Demands Equal Shows For Pushpa 2
Baby John (releasing on December 25) aims to take advantage of the holiday season. However, the release strategy has hit a roadblock due to Anil Thadani, distributor of Pushpa 2 – The Rule.
Thadani has imposed strict conditions on exhibitors, demanding equal screenings for his film until December 26. This means that theatres cannot reduce their screenings of Pushpa 2 from Wednesday, December 25, to make room for Baby John.
A source close to the development revealed to Bollywood Hungama, “Anil Thadani, distributor of Pushpa 2 – The Rule, has instructed all the exhibitors that they’ll have to play an equal number of shows from Friday, December 20 to Thursday, December 26. This means that they cannot reduce their showcasing of Pushpa 2 from Wednesday, December 25, to accommodate Baby John.”
This has escalated the situation, with Thadani reportedly asking exhibitors to provide written assurance that they will comply with this condition. If theatres fail to do so, Thadani has threatened to withhold the release order (RO). This will prevent Pushpa 2 from screening over the weekend. If the RO is not granted, theatres will be unable to screen Pushpa 2 at all during the lucrative weekend period.
Exhibitors Claim Anil Thadani’s Move Is Payback Against PVR INOX
Their conflict stems from a previous clash between distributors. An exhibitor pointed out that PVR Inox Pictures (the distributor of Baby John) also handled Singham Again during Diwali, which clashed with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (distributed by Thadani’s AA Films).
Tensions between the two distributors over show-sharing were high during that time, and this new disagreement is seen as a form of retaliation.
An industry insider shared that all parties involved are trying to find a resolution. If Thadani’s demands are accepted, exhibitors will need to reduce screenings of Pushpa 2 until December 24 to balance showtimes with Baby John.
However, if the distributors insist on maintaining maximum screenings for Pushpa 2, Baby John could suffer, with its shows limited to just two days until its full release on December 27.
While some theatres have started accepting bookings for Pushpa 2 on a limited scale, larger chains like PVR, Inox, Cinepolis, and Miraj are waiting for a resolution before opening full bookings for the blockbuster.
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