Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whose magnum opus ‘Bajirao Mastani’ clashed with Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Dilwale’, says King Khan is a bigger star and will definitely have a good opening at the box office any day.
“Shah Rukh is a bigger star. He is such a big star that even if he would have come on any day he would have got a good opening,” Bhansali told PTI. “We are happy creating it and seeing it (Bajirao Mastani). It was magic. There was some blessing of God constantly on the film so I knew it will start a little slow but we will eventually catch up,” he added.
Reportedly ‘Dilwale’ had collected Rs 21 cr on the first day, Rs 20.09 cr on the second day, Rs 24 cr on the third day and Rs 10.09 cr on Monday. The SRK starrer film collected Rs 75.18 cr in the first four days. On the other hand “Bajirao Mastani” on day one earned Rs 12.80 cr, and saw an upsurge in its collections on day two as it collected Rs 15.52 cr, Rs 18.45 cr on the third day and Rs 10.25 cr on Monday. Total collections of the Bhansali film are Rs 57.02 cr.
The ‘Black’ director is happy that the word of mouth has helped ‘Bajirao Mastani’ gain momentum at the box office. “It is heartening to know that people are loving our film so all that numbers and mathematics eventually collapse when you like a film or you don’t like a film. So, when I have more number of screens but if people don’t like the film it doesn’t matter,” he said.
“The repeat value is important. Love of the people to experience this world of ‘Bajirao Mastani’ is important,” he added. Bhansali’s directorial venture ‘Bajirao Mastani’ is the love story of the Peshwa Bajirao and the half-Muslim Bundelkhandi princess Mastani. While the Rohit Shetty film is an action comedy.
(With inputs from PTI)