Last Updated:
Bhushan Kumar says the market for dubbed Hindi films is very ‘limited’ and Raid 2 – with 4000 screens – has ‘better showcasing’ than films like Hit: The Third Case and Retro.
Raid 2, Hit 3 and Retro are set to clash in theatres on May 1.
Seven years after Raid, its spiritual sequel titled Raid 2 is all set to hit the theatres. The sequel that delves further into corruption, power and intense drama will see Ajay Devgn return as Income Tax officer Amay Patnaik, facing off against his formidable opponent, Dadabhai, played by Riteish Deshmukh. Its advance booking has already begun and despite the anticipation surrounding the film, on May 1, it will be facing competition from two big pan-Indian films – Nani’s Hit: The Third Case and Suriya’s Retro. But the makers of Raid 2 remain unfazed.
Speaking exclusively to News18 Showsha, producer Bhushan Kumar says that he isn’t considering Hit: The Third Case and Retro a ‘threat’. According to him, it’s only films like Pushpa can that shake the box office in the Hindi-speaking belt. Explaining his stance, he tells us, “Barring the A++ films like the franchise ones such as Pushpa, till date, there’s no parameter to check if these films have worked in the northern belt. I think that the market for Hindi dubbed films is very limited for these specific films.”
A big part of this confidence also stems from the fact that Raid 2 has gained major control of the screens in the northern territory. “I don’t think these films will pose any competition for us. Our film Raid 2 is getting about 4000 screens all across the country. We’re getting the best showcasing. So, I don’t think we’re facing any threat,” he states. Another producer, Kumar Mangat Pathak, believes that there’s enough scope for all the films to thrive. “All the films are targeting multiplexes but humaare film ke shows ki kami nahi hai. But the shows for all films will be divided properly,” he asserts.
Pathak’s son, producer Abhishek Pathak, feels that the market is big enough to accommodate all these three films. “I don’t think it’s going to be a problem for any of the films because the market is massive. They’ve a certain market and we’ve a certain market. For two-three films releasing on the same day, isn’t a problem these days. If a film starts doing well in terms of marketing and the trailer, people will choose it,” says the Drishyam 2 director.
At a time when Bollywood is going through an acute lull, makers have become more anxious than ever. As the industry calls for a reset, Kumar remarks that studios and production houses should encourage diverse genres of films. “That’s the only way for more and more films to work at the box office and for the entire ecosystem to survive in the long term. It will be very difficult only if very few films work in theatres. Audiences always observe, pick and watch good content. A film may have a good actor who has a box office pull but it’s ultimately the story that should work. If the content doesn’t work, that same artist won’t be able to do anything,” he states.
