Varma's 'Rann' moved ahead for Salman's 'Veer'

Mumbai, Dec 20 (IANS) The release date of Ram Gopal Varma's "Rann" has now been pushed ahead to avoid a clash with Anil Sharma's "Veer".

Both the films were scheduled to release Jan 22, next year but now "Veer" will release Jan 22, while "Rann" will hit screens a week later.

Apparently, Sharma called up Sheetal Talwar, co-producer of "Rann", explaining why and how a clash between the two films must be averted.

"I saw reason in what Anil Sharma said. There's no sense in creating a no-win situation for two films. See, when 'Gadar - Ek Prem Katha' and 'Lagaan' came together, things were different. But now audiences are in no mood to buy tickets for two big films in the same week," Talwar told IANS.

It was said to be a clash of patriotic passion when Sharma's "Gadar" and Ashutosh Gowariker's "Lagaan" were released on June 15, 2001. Both proved to be historic blockbusters.

Sharma sees his latest offering "Veer", which is set in colonial India, as a patriotic period film. While Varma's "Rann", set in the modern world of media manipulation, is perceived by its makers as a comment on our times and hence patriotic.

"Rann" has Amitabh Bachchan in pivotal role, while Salman Khan plays main lead in "Veer".

The people behind both films were adamant on same day release, but now Talwar says: "There's no point in creating an ego issue by insisting we release 'Rann' on the same day as 'Veer'. One or the other film is bound to suffer at the box office. Why not release a week later when we get a relatively free Friday?"

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