Two big-ticket films — "Rustom" and "Mohenjo Daro" — are set to clash on Aug.12, Friday. Even though the industry has joined forces to root for Akshay Kumar's film, the hype around Hrithik Roshan's project cannot be undermined.
We have singled out aspects, which give "Mohenjo Daro" an edge over "Rustom."
First up, it is Hrithik's return to the silver screen after two long years. His last was "Bang Bang," which opened in theatres on Oct. 2, 2014. The gap is definitely a plus as fans have waited months to catch a glimpse of their favourite superstar on 70mm.
Secondly, it's the look and feel of the film that will attract a section of the audience. The lavish sets add to the charm of the film; they are a couple of floors high, most of which have been decorated with ancient writings and motifs.
The costumes are looking good, although at times too tattered for personal liking. However, making up for it is Pooja Hegde's embellished ensembles and headgears. Even though they have been heavily criticised for not representing the era (Harappan civilisation), it adds a bit of color to the otherwise nude palette of "Mohenjo Daro."
Third, Hrithik has worked hard on "Mohenjo Daro." He underwent special training to look the part. Brawny and yet not too big, the actor built the perfect physique with the help of celebrity fitness trainer Satyajit Chaurasia.
The script of Mohenjo Daro is superb. Hrithik is my friend and he has shared with me the details of the body shots and other sequences while working out. There are combat scenes between him and tigers in the film. So, I'm training him to build the right body for these kinds of sequences," he had told IANS.
Also, what's commendable is the actor has shot portions of the film with multiple injuries. Earlier this year, the actor tore a ligament and was advised bed rest to recover from it. Of course, that delayed the schedule, but he was back on his feet right in time and wrapped up the film in time.
While these are reasons why it has the upper-hand in the box office battle, here are a few more which will tell you why "Mohenjo Daro" has to click with the audience and work its magic at the ticket window.
"Bang Bang" didn't incur losses, but it didn't hit it out of the park either. This means, that makers will have to strike gold with "Mohenjo Daro."
Also, Akshay Kumar does 3-4 films every year. So, even if "Rustom" were to underperform, it wouldn't impact him as much because he already has "Airlift" and "Housefull 3" to his credit this year, and both turned out to be box-office hits.
Meanwhile, here's what the trade experts have to say:
On an ideal setting, "Mohenjo Daro" would have minted Rs 15 crore, but with stiff competition from "Rustom," divided screens and working day release will make it near impossible, Bollywood Hungama reported. Meanwhile, analysts have predicted that "Rustom" may rake in opening numbers of over Rs. 12-13 crore.
