Why Fight Over Diwali, Eid Or Christmas When This Week Of The Year Will Guarantee A Hit

The biggest of box office fights is to get your passionately crafted movie a perfect release date. While all A-listers in the industry have predominantly set a release slot for themselves, the fight never seems to end no matter how big a star is in the business. Diwali belongs to SRK, Eid belongs to Bhai and Christmas is acquired by Aamir Khan. When Shah Rukh had to recently shift his upcoming movie Raees from Eid straightaway to 2017, it was clear how tough it has become in the industry to find a perfect release slot. If Shah Rukh isn’t safe, nobody is!

Our theory is, why fight over these few high profile festive release dates when there are 50 odd weeks in the year? The safest of bet that we found out in our research was something you wouldn’t normally have thought of. No festive season, no Independence Day and no extended weekend, this week of the year (believe it or not) has had the best consistency rate in terms of delivering a hit.

The perfect release slot we are talking about here is the last week of May! Yes, for major years in the last decade, the last few days of the May have been extremely fruitful. We’ll get into the whys and hows later, let’s first support our theory with facts:

Fun Fact: Before we get into the era of post 2000, did you know the theory of May has worked wonders for some of our previous blockbusters too?

Mr. India – May 25 (1987)

Anil Kapoor’s most accomplished work to date ‘Mr. India’ released in the last week of May and proved out to be a blockbuster. Of course the film was fabulous on its part but may be the luck was going around in the 80’s too.

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander – May 22 (1992)

One of your most favorite sports film set in the 90’s, the Aamir Khan starrer Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander was also a product that came out on in the later part of May. Enough to assert this release slot was a safe bet.

Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai – May 22 (1998)

While in the late 90’s, the May factor didn’t vanish without laying another mark. At a time when Salman Khan wasn’t going through the best of times, his romantic drama Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai came out on May 22 and became an overnight hit.

Now moving onto the consistency point we’ve been making for films working in the last week of May. Post 2000, this is how the films have fared when released in last part of May.

Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai – May 25 (2001)

If it could give Tusshar Kapoor a successful start at the very beginning of his career, you’d admit this isn’t just a hoax.

Andaz – May 23 (2003)

Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta! The film that nobody otherwise talks about was a major hit in 2003 and you can see for yourself what the release date of the film is!

Hum Tum – May 28 (2004)

Earned a National Award for Saif, won several other awards for Rani and so much of applause otherwise, even Yashraj knew this was a good time to release their film.

Bunty Aur Babli – May 27 (2005)

Same pattern, same production and same result! One of the biggest hit of the year, Bunty or Babli was also a last week release of May.

Fanaa – May 26 (2006)

We knew Yash Raj had cracked the theory! Three years, three super hits and three same release slots! If this is not an arrangement you don’t believe in, we don’t know what to say.

Shootout At Lokhandwala – May 27 (2007)

Revival of gangster movies in India, this film in 2007 had also given a new life to Vivek Oberoi as an actor. The loud violent movie was indeed a money spinner back in 2007.

Jannat – May 16 (2008)

One of Emraan Hashmi’s most successful films to date, Jannat despite releasing in mid-May returned same favors as the films in previous years had been throwing.

Pyaar Ka Punchnama – May 20 (2011)

With absolutely no name in the list of credits that you may have heard before, this film did wonders at the box office. The coming of age comedy drama based on modern day relationships found a good connect with the youth across the nation.

Rowdy Rathore – May 31/June 1 (2012)

One of Akshay Kumar’s highest grossers ever, Rowdy Rathore had premiered on May 31^st in Dubai to see the light of Indian theaters. Was it the luck that sailed it pass through 100 crores in no time?

Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani - May 31 (2013)

Who doesn’t remember this blockbuster energy filled movie in 2013? Yet another story where last week of May yielded fortune for its producers!

Heropanti – May 23 (2014)

Giving a perfect launching platform to Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon, while most of us out there hadn’t given this film much of a chance, it garnered more than 50 crores ending up being a big hit.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns – May 25 (2015)

The most loved film of last year, while Tanu Weds Manu Returns didn’t need any luck to fall in its favor, yet this ever dependable release date helped it put a mammoth tally of over a hundred fifty crores making it a blockbuster.

Does it convince you now that fussing over Diwali or Eid is inconsequential given how such random day of the year can produce so many hits? The next time a producer is in a fix with his product release date, we suggest he reads this article of ours!