Ekta Kapoor blames SRK, Chennai Express for OUATIMD's box office debacle

Ekta Kapoor’s Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbaai Dobaara (OUATIMD) released on 15 August and despite the holiday weekend that followed, it’s had a meagre Rs 40 crore opening. Critics may blame its weak screenplay and dialogues for the lukewarm box office response, word on Bollywood’s streets is that Kapoor is blaming only one person for OUATIMD’s box office debacle — Shah Rukh Khan. OUATIMD was Balaji Telefilms’s biggest release this year and Kapoor was planning a grand launch. Made on a budget of Rs 85 crore, the film stars Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha and Imran Khan, and was slated for an Eid release at the box office. However, everything changed when Khan booked Eid for Chennai Express. [caption id=“attachment_1050055” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Reuters[/caption] According to a report in Mumbai Mirror , the actor had requested Kapoor organise a special screening of OUATIMD at his Mumbai bungalow, Mannat, which Kapoor refused to do.  Knowing very well that locking horns with a Shah Rukh Khan starrer is box-office-suicide, Kapoor apparently tried to derail Chennai Express by strategies like asking the MNS to intervene. Ultimately, when none of this bore the kind of fruit Kapoor wanted, she gave up and settled for 15 August as OUATIMD release date. OUATIMD’s new release date was agreed upon the condition that the producers of Chennai Express will make way for OUATIMD and allow it to release in 2000 screens on 15 August.  Reports claim that initially both UTV and Red Chillies Entertainment agreed to this deal. However, after the phenomenal opening weekend, they conveniently reneged on their promise and Kapoor’s OUATIMD had a tepid opening in 1600 screens. Apparently, when Shobha Kapoor called UTV to inquire about the sudden change of heart,  she was told Khan had made this decision.  When Jeetendra tried contacting the actor, Khan didn’t respond. One of the multiplex owner from Juhu also told a newspaper that they were ‘pressured’ by the producers of Chennai Express. Back in 2012, when Khan’s Diwali release Jab Tak Hai Jaan faced controversy because Ajay Devgn moved to the Competition Commission Of India (CCI) claiming that the producer of Jab Tak Hai Jaan (Yash Raj Films) had used its dominant position to ask exhibitors to dedicate more screens to Jab Tak… than for Devgn’s film Son of Sardar, Khan had dismissed the controversy saying that it was ‘ silly and strange’ because the market is free and not ‘monopolistic’ . However,  now with Ekta crying foul, it seems Khan isn’t beyond a little arm-twisting theatre owners so that Chennai Express stays in theatres for the maximum amount of time.