So which one of the two titans will lead at the box office this weekend? While Yash Raj Films’ War 2 clearly has the edge in the Hindi belt, Rajinikanth’s Coolie is hard to beat in the South.
I asked some of the actors from both films to comment on the clash. While no one from War 2 is allowed to comment by Yash Raj Films, Nagarjuna and Aamir Khan, who play pivotal parts in Coolie, spoke exclusively to this writer.
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Says Nag, “I think both are very strong films with great box office draw. Both have a North-South appeal. Hrithik and Tarak (NTR) in War 2, Rajini Sir, me and Aamir in Coolie. So both should and must do well.”
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Aamir is opposed to calling it a clash. “Why are you looking at it as a battle? Why can’t the two films co-exist at the box office? If you remember, my Lagaan was released on the same Friday as Gadar. And both were blockbusters. I am hopeful that War 2 and Coolie would meet the same fate.”
Says trade guru Taran Adarsh, “It’s the clash of the titans — War 2 versus Coolie. As things stand today, War 2 has secured the maximum screens in North India and is expected to lead in the Hindi version. Coolie, meanwhile, has taken a commanding lead in overseas markets and is sure to dominate in Tamil Nadu. The craze for the Rajinikanth-director Lokesh Kanagaraj combination is nothing short of phenomenal. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Jr NTR’s immense popularity will ensure a thunderous start for War 2. For now, it’s a wait-and-watch situation. This is one of the biggest clashes ever, and come Thursday — when both films release — it will ultimately be the content that does the talking. With a long weekend ahead, one can only hope that both War 2 and Coolie score big at the box office.”
Producer and box office analyst Girish Johar opines, “I think the audience profile is pretty clear. North will lap up War 2 while the audiences down South will go berserk for Coolie. It's a big long weekend and fortunately both films have generated huge curiosity amongst its fans. I am going to watch both. In overseas it is clearly Rajni-mania as Coolie is bound to take a huge start there.”
Trade expert Atul Mohan surmises, “Coolie is making an all-out effort to win over audiences in the North, even roping in Aamir Khan to strengthen its appeal. However, the positioning seems clear: War 2 is being geared towards the Hindi belt, while Coolie is aimed primarily at the South. That said, War 2 is likely to enjoy a stronger foothold in the Telugu market as well, thanks to the massive fan base of Jr NTR, which extends far beyond Andhra and Telangana.”
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