Why was ‘Parasakthi’ moved closer to ‘Jana Nayagan’? Sivakarthikeyan’s film producer BREAKS the silence |
Festival release calendars become part of the discussion long before the actual movies arrive at the box office, and ‘Parasakthi’ is no different. The decision by the filmmakers to change the release date of the film from January 14 to January 10 has already sparked discussions among fans and trade analysts on the motive behind the change in the release date, which was tilted heavily towards the release of ‘Jana Nayagan’ on January 9, with Thalapathy Vijay in the lead, and is being considered as a battle during the lucrative Pongal season.
‘Parasakthi’ producer explains theatre owners’ role in advancing the release
Breaking his silence on the matter, ‘Parasakthi’ producer Aakash Basakaran clarified that the advancement had little to do with competition and more to do with exhibition logistics. Speaking to Cineulagam, he revealed that theatre owners and distributors from various regions had suggested a one- or two-day gap between the two major releases. With a long holiday stretch of nearly ten days, exhibitors felt that closely spaced release dates would allow them to manage show timings better and ensure both films received adequate screen space. A wider gap, he explained, could result in one film dominating screens while the other struggles for optimal shows.
Aakash Basakaran dismisses the clash narrative as unnecessary
Aakash also addressed the narrative of rivalry that quickly gained traction online. He described the clash talk as unnecessary and pointed out that such scenarios were far more common in the past. Recalling earlier Pongal seasons, he noted that audiences once had the option of choosing from as many as ten new releases during the festival. Over the years, that number gradually reduced to five, then three, and eventually to two. From his perspective, two films arriving around the same time should be seen as normal, if not healthy, for the industry.
‘Parasakthi’ vs ‘Jana Nayagan’, a healthy box office battle
Reinforcing this view, the producer stressed that he sees no contention in multiple releases sharing a festive window. For him, it is options; not a fight. ‘Parasakthi’, helmed by Sudha Kongara, has Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela in the main cast. On the flip side, ‘Jana Nayagan’, directed by H Vinoth, has Vijay in the lead role along with Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Bobby Deol, Narain, Priyamani, Sunil, Baba Bhaskar, and Gautham Vasudev Menon. With huge expectations riding on both the films, this Pongal would be a real treat for the cine-goers and not a toss-up.
