Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 14 : As 'Awarapan 2' and 'Batwara 1947' arrive in theatres on the same day, filmmaker Vishesh Bhatt has explained how the release-date overlap came about, saying the two films were not deliberately planned as a clash.
Speaking to ANI, 'Awarapan 2' filmmaker Vishesh Bhatt said the film was initially expected to release earlier, but a delay in the shoot after Emraan Hashmi's injury forced the team to reconsider its schedule.
"No, actually, we didn't plan it as a clash," Bhatt said, adding, "We felt that our film was going to be released in April, but during December, Emraan got injured during the shooting, so we had to hold back the shoot."
According to Bhatt, the release calendar subsequently underwent several changes as multiple films shifted their dates. He said the team was looking for a suitable date and eventually announced its release plan after considering the changing theatrical landscape.
"We were looking for a date before April. Somewhere around April, the war had started, and because of that, many films were moving ahead like 'Toxic' and several others. The entire calendar was shifting," he said.
Bhatt said distributors informed the team that 'Batwara 1947' was scheduled for the same date, but felt both films could perform during the holiday period because they belonged to different categories.
"There were already other films scheduled, Hollywood films were also coming, and the distribution side told us that Batwara was coming on the 14th, but our film was of a different type. There was also a holiday period," he said.
"They felt both films could be released together because there is enough capacity for films to do well during holiday windows. It has happened many times in history. When Gadar and Lagaan came together in the 2000s, both did well."
Despite this, Bhatt admitted that he paused before agreeing to the date. His hesitation, he clarified, was not simply because of the clash but because of his experience with the original 'Awarapan'.
"But it wasn't because of the clash. I took a pause because I was also heartbroken during Awarapan 1," he said.
Bhatt recalled that the 2007 film had to compete for audience attention alongside other releases. The team, he said, went to considerable lengths to ensure the film was noticed.
"When Awarapan came with two other films, we tried very hard to get noticed and get registered with the audience," he said, adding, "Emraan doesn't dance, but we even got Emraan to dance at the IIFA Awards because we were trying to get people to notice the film."
The filmmaker said that experience left him concerned that 'Awarapan 2' could face a similar situation, particularly with another major film arriving in the same window.
"We came from a time when nobody noticed us. So I had this trauma that I was going to make Awarapan again. I was afraid that nobody would notice our film again."
Bhatt said he was repeatedly assured that the market had enough capacity for both releases and that distributors and cinema owners also considered the date suitable.
"People told me repeatedly that it wouldn't happen this time, that there was enough capacity and that we should announce the date. I said okay. The distributors and cinema owners also felt this was a good date, so I went with it."
'Awarapan 2', the sequel to the 2007 cult film, released in cinemas today, coinciding with the Independence Day holiday period. Emraan Hashmi reprises his role as Shivam Pandit in the film.