NO SRK ON DIWALI THAT’S LIKE NO SWEETS ON THE FESTIVAL!
No SRK on Diwali that’s like no Sweets
on the festival! From Baazigar to Happy New Year, revisit SRK’s Diwali hits.
Once upon a time, Shah Rukh Khan the
“King of Bollywood” was synonymous with Diwali releases. His films not only
entertained audiences but also lit up the festive box office with
record-breaking performances. However, it’s now been 11 long years since
an SRK film last hit theatres during Diwali. Why has the superstar distanced
himself from this once-lucky release period? Only SRK himself can truly answer
that.
One possible reason could be avoiding
unnecessary box-office clashes with other big films. Yet that explanation
isn’t entirely convincing, because throughout his career, SRK has faced and
even thrived in numerous clashes. In fact, during earlier times, multiple
major films releasing on the same day was nothing new. Sometimes, even two
films of the same actor would release simultaneously!
But the situation has changed
drastically in today’s social media-driven era. Unnecessary negativity,
online trolling, and fan wars often lead to one film being unfairly targeted or
compared to another. Because of this toxic environment, producers,
directors, and stars now prefer to avoid box office clashes altogether.
Moreover, two big films releasing together tends to split the audience,
affecting the overall business for both something trade experts have repeatedly
pointed out.
For instance, during Diwali 2012,
Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Son of Sardaar released on the same day.
Analysts estimate that if both films had released solo, each could have easily
earned minimum 20–25 crore rupees more in their lifetime collections.
No matter the reasons, SRK fans
are understandably disappointed that it’s been over a decade since a Shah Rukh
Khan film brightened Diwali. Traditionally, his films have always performed
strongly during this festive window. Trade experts also say that the box
office usually slows down about a week after Diwali but SRK’s films have always defied that
trend.
Let’s take a look back at the films
that Shah Rukh Khan released during Diwali, and how they performed at the box
office:
1) Baazigar (1993)
Directed by Abbas–Mustan, Baazigar
released on 12 November 1993, alongside two other films Bedardi
(starring Ajay Devgn and Urmila Matondkar) and Parwane. Interestingly,
actor Siddharth Ray appeared in both Baazigar and Parwane. Distributors
were initially hesitant because SRK was playing a negative role, but the
film went on to become a superhit, proving everyone wrong.
2) Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)
Released on 20 October 1995, DDLJ marked Aditya Chopra’s directorial debut under Yash Raj Films. It clashed with Yaraana, starring Rishi Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. The rest, as they say, is history. DDLJ became an all-time blockbuster and continues to run at Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir even today nearly 30 years later with weekend occupancy of 60–80%. Ticket prices remain just Rs. 30 (regular) and Rs. 50 (balcony)!
3) Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Released on 30 October 1997,
this Yash Chopra musical featured Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Karisma
Kapoor, with a special appearance by Akshay Kumar. The film’s music was a
massive hit, and it became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1997
worldwide.
4) Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Karan Johar made his directorial
debut with this film, released on 16 October 1998. Co-starring Kajol
and Rani Mukerji, the film also featured Salman Khan in a special role. Despite
clashing with Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan (starring Amitabh Bachchan and
Govinda), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai emerged as the top-grossing Hindi film
of the year and earned All-Time Blockbuster status.
5) Mohabbatein (2000)
Released on 27 October 2000,
this Yash Raj production directed by Aditya Chopra brought Amitabh Bachchan
and Shah Rukh Khan together on screen for the first time. It clashed with Mission
Kashmir (starring Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan) but outperformed it,
becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film worldwide in 2000.
6) Veer-Zaara (2004)
Released on 12 November 2004,
this romantic drama was Yash Chopra’s directorial comeback after Dil To
Pagal Hai. Co-starring Preity Zinta and Rani Mukerji, it also featured
Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini & Manoj Bajpayee. Despite clashing with Aitraaz
(Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra), Veer-Zaara became a superhit
and the top-grossing Hindi film of 2004 worldwide.
7) Don: The Chase Begins Again (2006)
This film was
released on 20th
October 2006. Produced under the Excel
Entertainment banner, it was directed by Farhan Akhtar.
For various reasons, the film became a major topic of discussion at the time.
Starring Shah
Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, and Arjun Rampal, the movie faced a
box
office clash with another big release, Jaan-E-Mann,
which featured Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Preity Zinta in
lead roles.
Before its
release, Don
faced a lot of negativity. From news channels to several film
critics, many said that making this movie was a huge mistake. Some regional
newspapers even mocked the film’s trailer and promotional songs, saying Shah Rukh
Khan looked like a joker in it. Critics also claimed that
releasing it alongside Jaan-E-Mann was another big blunder.
However,
putting an end to all the speculations, the film not only outperformed
Jaan-E-Mann at the box office but was also declared a Hit.
Moreover, Don
went on to win the Best Asian Film award at the Neuchatel
International Fantastic Film Festival.
8) Om Shanti Om (2007)
Released on 9 November 2007,
this Farah Khan film clashed with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya
(Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor’s debut). Om Shanti Om became a blockbuster
and the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2007 worldwide. In 2010, it was
the most-watched foreign film on UK television, with nearly 750,000
viewers.
9) Ra.One (2011)
Released on 26 October 2011,
this high-budget superhero film was ahead of its time, featuring advanced VFX
and marketing strategies. Although it underperformed compared to
expectations, it still became the 3rd highest worldwide grosser of 2011
and later received a National Award for Best Special Effects. Although
the Box Office has declared this film a Hit. Over time, Ra.One has gained
renewed appreciation for its technical brilliance, and fans continue to request
a sequel.
10) Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012)
Jab Tak Hai Jaan was released on 13th November 2012. On the same day, another big film, Son of Sardaar, was also released at the box office. This was the last film directed by the late Yash Chopra. Both films achieved success at the box office. At that time, Jab Tak Hai Jaan became the third highest-grossing Hindi film overseas, after 3 Idiots and My Name Is Khan. This film also marked the first on-screen collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif.
11) Happy New
Year (2014)
Released on 24 October 2014, directed by Farah Khan, the film received mixed reviews but was a box office success and declared a Superhit by Box Office India.
In this
way, 11
of Shah Rukh Khan’s films have been released during Diwali, and
all of them managed to achieve box office success. However, after 2014,
none of SRK’s films have been released on Diwali.
However, there’s exciting news for fans this year! Although there’s no new Diwali release, SRK is celebrating his 60th birthday with re-releases of some of his most iconic films, including:- Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Dil Se, Devdas, Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express & Jawan.
Image:- SRK's X account Post
According to SRK’s official post on X
(formerly Twitter), these films will be re-released by YRF Productions
across several international markets including the Middle East, North
America, UK, New Zealand, Australia, and Europe.
Meanwhile,
Shah Rukh Khan is currently busy shooting for his upcoming and
much-talked-about film “King.” We hope SRK might release the announcement teaser of King on his upcoming birthday, that
is, November 2 (Sunday).
Thank You.
