Clash of the titans: why Salman Khan gave up his Eid slot to Shah Rukh Khan

Salman Khan has been releasing his big movies at Eid for several years. So why did he give up the holiday slot next year to Shah Rukh Khan's Raees?

Shah Rukh Khan, left, and Salman Khan, who usually release their films at different times to avoid competition, surprised many fans by scheduling movies head-to-head next year. AFP; Rajanish Kakade / Show more

Superstition runs deep in Bollywood, especially when it comes to picking an auspicious date to release a film.

Take the big three – Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan – who love timing their movies to coincide with ­India’s biggest religious ­festivals.

SRK likes Diwali, Salman is the king of Eid Al Fitr, and Aamir is partial to Christmas. It’s an unwritten rule, and the three actors pull out all stops to make sure their film releases do not clash with each other.

Which is why many fans were left scratching their heads when it was announced that Salman’s Sultan and SRK’s Raees were scheduled for release during Eid next year. The idea of the two superstars dividing audiences – and profits – generated a lot of speculation.

Then Indian media reported that the two actors met recently for a chat over a cup of tea to ­discuss the unpleasant prospect of going head-to-head in ­cinemas.

The discussion apparently ended in a rare occurrence: Salman reportedly gave up his Eid slot to SRK, shifting the release of Sultan to Diwali. This was done, sources say, because the two have “great respect” for each other’s work.

However, critics and film buffs find this hard to believe, considering that the two share a relationship that has been marked by consistent animosity, punctuated only by the occasional awkward – and insincere – hug when they happen to meet in public.

Amid such saccharine professions of affection and brotherhood, the Khans have wisely avoided a huge ego clash on the professional front, because they know better.

During Diwali 2006, Salman’s Jaan-E-Mann was released on the same day as SRK’s Don, and the latter won that particular box-office battle.

Interestingly, Salman’s biggest blockbusters of late have all been Eid releases, including Ek Tha Tiger, Bodyguard, Dabangg and Wanted. This year, he timed his drama Bajrangi Bhaijaan – his first release after his hit-and-run-killing conviction in May – for the Eid weekend, and it is already one of Bollywood’s biggest box-office successes.

Bollywood fans and analysts believe the agreement to avoid the 2016 clash is not so much about box-office takings as avoiding ­embarrassment.

“If the films had released on the same day, Salman’s fans would have gone to watch Sultan and Shah Rukh’s to Raees,” says New Delhi-based cultural critic Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Junior.

“And for people like me who love both of them, it would have been a great bonanza to watch both films on the same day – a fantastic double bill.”

Mumbai trade analyst and film critic Taran Adarsh believes the stars do not need to avoid each other.

“Of course, business will be divided between the two audiences when two mighty stars clash, but two good films can coexist,” he says.

“The fans are not mutually exclusive. Shah Rukh’s fans will of course watch his film first, but they will also be interested in ­seeing Salman’s film ­afterwards.”

Yash Raj Films, the studio that is producing Sultan, is yet to make an announcement. If rumours of the two stars swapping their favourite release dates are true, though, Salman will still face competition during Diwali. Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor’s romantic drama Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is set to be released at the same time, and is already generating a lot of interest.

The film marks the return of Karan Johar to the director’s chair after three years, and the cast includes A-list actresses Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Anushka Sharma.

But better, perhaps, to take on Kapoor – who is reeling from a string of flops – than mess with the invincible SRK. Either way, watch out for plenty of fireworks during next year’s festival ­seasons.