Friday sees Aditya Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi hit cinema screens. After the success of DDLJ and Mohabbatein, and eight years since Chopra last directed, expectations are high. Yash Raj Films are buoyant about their latest Shah Rukh Khan vehicle. Avtar Panesar, Vice President of International Operations at Yash Raj Films, says, "Fans can expect a good film and SRK with a difference."
Music videos of 'Haule Haule' and 'Dance Pe Chance' have audiences abuzz over Khan's dual look. YRF's lenticular advertising also seems to have caught the imagination of the public. "The posters reflect the story of the film very well," Panesar said. "As the saying goes, a picture speaks a thousand words. From a marketing perspective, we’d like to believe this picture on the standee says it all."
RNBDJ is Shah Rukh's third outing for good friend Adi, and launches newcomer Anushka Sharma as the other half of the jodi. Bangalore model, Sharma, bagged the role after an extensive talent search to find a fresh face. Actors have always been eager to work with the production house, and for Sharma this is a dream debut. "All I can say is we treat everyone like family. Maybe it’s that warmth which trickles down right from the top," said Panesar.
With post 26/11 releases either pushed back or a wash-out at the box office, receipts are down. On the effect this might have on the opening of RNBDJ, Panesar said, "There will be some impact, which is understandable. Nothing is more precious than human lives – certainly not the Friday box office." YRF spearhead Yash Chopra adds, “We try and make a good film. Success is in the hands of the audiences and God.”
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Prints
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi will be released in over 1200 screens on 12th December, 2008. This includes analog prints as well as digital cinemas.
The overseas release is the widest first day release of any Hindi film, with simultaneous release in USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, all over the Middle East, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania, Nigeria, Fiji Islands as well as all major European countries including Holland, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland.
The order for prints in India is increasing by the day with a lot of excitement in the exhibition sector. The audiences are looking forward to the first Shahrukh Khan release in over a year, the first Shahrukh Khan - Aditya Chopra combination film in over 8 years and most of all a wholesome family entertainer to bring much needed respite in these stressful times.
RNBDJ is 2:45 hours long
RAB NE BANA DI JODI is not a small film after all. Though there were talks till date that Yash Raj Films and Shah Rukh Khan have come up with their smallest film ever, both in terms of scale and duration (there were even murmurs around the film's length being a multiplex friendly 2 hours), that is far from true.
Though the scale at which the film is set would be visible once RNBDJ releases this Friday (we certainly aren't talking about a KABHI KHUSHI KABHI GHAM or an OM SHANTI OM here since both were massive in look), it has been revealed that the film belongs to the old world school of near three hours duration, hence packing in quite a lot for all who wish to see Shah Rukh Khan for the longest duration on the big screen. The exact length of the film is in the vicinity of 2 hrs. and 45 minutes.
"Yes, the film is close to the duration you suggest though it could be a couple of minutes here or there", confirms Monica Bhattacharya, spokesperson of Yash Raj Films, "The film's playing time is less than 3 hours for sure though."
This would still be less than Shah Rukh Khan's longest movie with Yash Raj Films in recent times, VEER ZAARA, which lasted close to 190 minutes. Even KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA and SWADES crossed the 180 minutes milestone though DON was 170 minutes long, OM SHANTI OM spanned 160 minutes, CHAK DE INDIA stood at 150 minutes long with PAHELI being his shortest in recent times at only 140 minutes.
