EXCLUSIVE: Two credible actors coming on the same day is not healthy - Rakesh Roshan on Raees vs Kaabil clash

By Urvi Parikh

Updated on Dec 09, 2016 | 05:32 PM IST | 2M

If there is one clash that has got the entire Bollywood talking, then it is surely between Shah Rukh Khan's Raees and Hrithik Roshan's Kaabil. Both the films are set to lock horns on January 25, 2017.

While Kaabil had announced its release first, Raees, which was earlier slated to release on Eid 2016 with Salman Khan's Sultan, postponed the date and decided to arrive in January 2017.

Last night, Rakesh Roshan declared that their film will come a day earlier to avoid the direct clash. The makers of Raees followed the same and have preponed their release to January 25 now.

When we asked Rakesh Roshan about this, he replied, "I knew that they will shift the date. But some people told me that nothing of that sort will happen. My instinct said that they will shift the date. But, it is ok. 4-5 shows will not make a difference."

Ask him if it is unfair for a film to announce its release date on the same day as the other film and he explains, "I cannot comment on others. But, I wouldn't have done such a thing. When I plan my release, I check all of it. My film was ready and I could have released it in November and December too. But, I checked the slate and saw that there were films in those months and January didn't have any dates and hence, I decided to release it in Jan 2017. We are a industry and there is a business here where not just producers, but also other workers are attached. Exhibitors, distributors and others cannot be deprived of their livelihood."

Interestingly, when the celebs are asked to comment on the clash, they say that since the year only has 52 weeks, clashes are bound to happen. Probe Rakesh Roshan on it! And he disagrees to the statement.

"I disagree to your point. A big film and a small film can come together. But, two credible actors coming on the same day is not healthy. You can see the well which is not of water where you can swim. It is the well of fire. And we both are jumping into it. Both will get burnt but to what extent, that we will have to see," reveals Rakesh Roshan.

He adds further, "I had tried my best (to talk to SRK and Raees makers) but then they thought that it is my weakness. But that is not my weakness. They took it the other way. They thought I am scared and all. But it is not like that. It is just my knowledge of films because I am in this business for 30-40 years and I know what happens when two big films come. For Hrithik, I am not worried at all. Hrithik is not that weak. His contemporaries are Aamir Khan and Salman Khan and they have crossed 300 crores. Sultan has crossed and Dangal will cross, because Aamir has made a good film. But since we are coming with Raees, both the films cannot cross 200 crores. It will affect both the films. Since I have made the film at a very tight budget, so even if my film does 100 crores, then also we will be in profit."

But does this clash affect his personal relationship with Shah Rukh Khan?

"Not at all. I am a good well wisher of everybody - Farhan, Ritesh, SRK. Shah Rukh is like my younger brother and we have made three films together. And I know his family very well. But. somewhere it is not right ethically. But fine! They might have something which I am not able to figure out. Even he will have his reasons. I am being frank and I don't know politics. Don't get me wrong. I am not saying anything against anybody. I am just talking facts," concludes Roshan.