The actress will aim to turn the audience’s heads in her direction.
While it’s Jazbaa all the way for Aishwarya Rai Bachchan right now, plans are already in place for her next. Sarbjit, which is finally getting ready to go on floors and already has a release date in place — May 20 — making it the only film willing to take on IPL 2016 at its peak.
“This is a brave move as the IPL finals are scheduled for May 29. For at least two weekends, Sarbjit would have to battle with knockout games, and then the finals. IPL is at its peak at this time and yet, the makers feel it is the right time to arrive,” informs our source.
In fact, no other film has yet dared to arrive on either of the two Fridays, be it May 20 or 27. Biggies Housefull 3 and Jagga Jasoos have been slated for June 3, so Sarbjit gets two back-to-back weekends all for itself. “This is a move that could work either ways,” a trade guru adds, “While IPL would be tough competition, the fact remains that Sarbjit is a kind of film that grows with word-of-mouth. If that works, the film can make all the money.”
This year, Bombay Velvet released in the thick of the IPL season and while the product was rejected by the audience, the film added on to IPL disasters. On the other hand Piku, which released a week before BV, grew with every passing day to emerge as a superhit while Tanu Weds Manu Returns, which released on the weekend leading to the IPL finals, emerged a blockbuster.
A filmmaker says, “Over the last few months, the interest level in this sport has anyways declined and IPL is no more a monster that it used to be. In weeks to come, more films could use vacant weekends during the IPL. But for now, it’s a solo run for Aishwarya.