Spidey, Batman scare off Bollywood

The desi guys have chickened out of the big fight with videsi superheroes. Bollywood producers don’t want their films to clash with The Amazing Spider-Man, that hits the box office on June 29.

The desi guys have chickened out of the big fight with videsi superheroes. Bollywood producers don’t want their films to clash with The Amazing Spider-Man, that hits the box office on June 29. Similarly, Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises that releases on July 20 has no competition from any B-town biggies. And James Bond’s newest outing, Skyfall, too, has a clear November 2 opening so far.

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“The janta knows what Spider-Man and Bond are about, so no filmmaker would risk clashing with them,” says trade analyst Taran Adarsh. Trade expert Joginder Tuteja says, “It’s very sane on Bollywood’s part to stay away from these Hollywood sharks that’d eat them away.”

Spider-Man will hit theatres a week after Gangs Of Wasseypur and Teri Meri Kahaani (TMK). TMK director Kunal Kohli however insists, “I had fixed my release date long before Spider-Man entered the picture.” Spidey will face competition only from small-ticket films such as Maximum, Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai and 3 Bachelors. Next month, small films like Gattu, Jalpari and I M 24 will accompany The Dark Knight Rises.

Saif-Deepika Padukone starrer Cocktail will release a week earlier. As of now, Skyfall too, has no competition. “Business of Hollywood movies has grown over 30% since last year and Bollywood definitely has a disadvantage,” says Yogesh Raizada of Wave Cinemas.

RK Mehrotra of Delite Cinemas says, “The young generation knows these heroes and is a fan of theirs. Bollywood fails to compete.” But, not everyone agrees. “There’s nothing like that. People will watch whatever they feel like,” says distributor Joginder Mahajan.