Director Prashanth Neel has publicly apologised to Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani for last year’s box office clash between Dunki and Salaar, which took place on December 22. This high-stakes holiday showdown saw two major releases hit cinemas on the same day, leading to stiff competition and divided audiences.
In a recent interview with News18 Showsha, Neel expressed regret for the timing. He acknowledged that Dunki had staked out the Christmas release date nearly a year in advance.
Prashanth Neel Claims That Dunki & Salaar’s Clash Was Producer’s Decision
He said, “We had only that date of December 22 to release. Shah Rukh Khan announced that Dunki would be released during Christmas almost a year ago. It was wrong on our part to clash with them. But due to astrological reasons and the producer’s beliefs, we had to come on that date. I apologize to Shah Rukh Khan and the team of Dunki.”
Neel clarified that the decision wasn’t his to make. Both he and Salaar star Prabhas, along with Prithviraj Sukumaran, had little say in the matter. The final choice rested with the producer, who is a strong believer in astrology.
“The producer decided to clash, as he believes in astrology a lot and doesn’t deviate from it. We just had to agree reluctantly,” Neel shared.
Prashanth Neel – “I apologise to #Dunki team for this clash. SRK sir & Rajkumar Hirani sir are colossal & announced date way before. We didn’t want #Salaar to come on this date, it happened only due to astrology”
after #ShahRukhKhan & #Prabhas fans, the makers are over it too pic.twitter.com/7tfWrj45rN
— sohom (@AwaaraHoon) November 4, 2024
What Was The Consequence Of This BO Clash?
The clash was intense, with both films pushing hard to capture audiences during the lucrative holiday season. While Dunki came with the magnetic pairing of Shah Rukh Khan and Rajkumar Hirani, Salaar, an action-packed thriller led by Prabhas, leaned into its high-energy narrative and fanbase appeal.
The result was that both films saw mixed outcomes at the box office. Dunki, expected to make record-breaking numbers given Khan’s prior hits Pathaan and Jawan, fell short of projections, ultimately collecting Rs 470.6 crore worldwide.
Meanwhile, Salaar garnered attention as a “controversial success,” with some accusations that the team was inflating box office figures to appear more competitive.
Despite Dunki’s underwhelming performance relative to expectations, it drew audiences in with its stellar cast, including Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, and Anil Grover. Salaar, co-starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Shruti Haasan, tapped into Prabhas’s loyal fanbase, pulling in significant earnings despite tough competition.
