![The Kashmir Files: Akshay Kumar's Bachchhan Paandey in hot soup due to Vivek Agnihotri film's dream run at the box office – here's how [EXCLUSIVE]](https://st1.bollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The_Kashmir_Files_Bachchhan_Paandey_Box_Office_Collection.jpg "The Kashmir Files: Akshay Kumar's Bachchhan Paandey in hot soup due to Vivek Agnihotri film's dream run at the box office – here's how [EXCLUSIVE]")
The Kashmir Files has been creating box office history left, right and centre at the box office. Never before has a film come along in Bollywood that has brought in more money during the weekdays than it did over its first weekend, sending all trade analysis and predictions for a rollicking toss. Where The Kashmir Files' lifetime collection will end up is now anybody's guess, but what this trajectory has done is cast a major cloud over the next Bollywood movie in line for the theatres and one of the year's most eagerly anticipated festive releases, Akshay Kumar starrer Bachchhan Paandey.
To say that Bachchhan Paandey is tailor-made for the festival of Holi would be an understatement. To say that a movie starring Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumaar and Pallavi Joshi shouldn't have had any business even challenging one that stars Akshay Kumar, Kriti Sanon and Jacqueline Fernandez is a pretty fair assessment. Yet for all, the Vivek Agnihotri directorial is not only challenging Bachchhan Paandey, but is also sending it running for cover if our source is to be believed.
A well-placed source within the industry has exclusively apprised BollywoodLife that Akshay Kumar, producer Sajid Naidadwala and Director Farhad Samji are apparently wearing a forlorn look these days, anxious over how much of a dent The Kashmir Files wave would make to their film at the box office as they all had imagine a clear slate at cinema halls this Holi, but now believe that not only is the audience firmly divided, but Bachchhan Paandey could receive the smaller share of said division.
Our source further informs us that the next thing that has got the Bachchhan Paandey team extremely worried is the screen count, with word in the trade being that the film is probably set to witness a loss of 400-500 screens as compared to what it was initially supposed to receive, with a major chunk among them being single screens as those theatres are now in no mood of replacing The Kashmir Files.
The fact that Bachchhan Paandey is more of a single screen and mid-level multiplex movie that a high-end multiplex release has really put its makers in a dilemma, further compounded by how it's now very difficult for them to demand more screens, too, as if word gets out it could have an adverse affect, considering how many among the audience are either believing or being led to believe that the Vivek Agnihotri film is a sacrosanct piece of historical plight meant to be revered. A couple of days after its opening, several cinema halls were made to replace Gangubai Kathiawadi with it as many cited how it's far worthier than a movie about a prostitute and now, a narrative could form that it's again far more relevant than a simple, masal entertainer.
Either way, reports suggest that Bachchhan Paandey seems to be in a huge fix not of its own making days prior to its release.
About the Author
Russel D'Silva
Senior sub-editor, film critic, trade analyst, anchor, host of 'Masterclass' and 'Throwback Tadka' at BollywoodLife
Don’t Miss Out on the Latest Updates.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today!
Subscribe Now
Enroll for our free updates