Many multiplexes and around 50 single-screen cinemas in Delhi-U.P. will go without Baaghi 3 tomorrow (6th March). Fox, which has produced and is distributing the Tiger Shroff starrer, insisted that for being given Baaghi 3 to run, the controllers sign contracts for all shows in the Eid week for Laxmmi Bomb which is also being distributed by Fox. Praveen Trikha, the distribution head of Fox for Delhi-U.P., made it clear to exhibitors/controllers that if they would not sign the contract for Laxmmi Bomb right now for their single-screen cinemas, they would not be given Baaghi 3 to run in any of their single-screen cinemas or multiplexes.
The exhibitors/controllers pleaded that single-screen cinemas be allowed to divide shows between Laxmmi Bomb and Radhe, the other Eid release, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. Since Radhe is a Salman Khan starrer, no exhibitor/controller was willing to forgo it completely while screening only Akshay Kumar’s Laxmmi Bomb in all the shows in their single-screen cinemas on 22nd May. Negotiations went on till 7 p.m. on 5th but Trikha was adamant. Only some multiplexes, who bypassed their controllers and requested Trikha to let them play Baaghi 3, managed to get the film.
Interestingly, Baaghi 3 is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala with Fox. And Sajid shares excellent relationship with both, Salman and Akshay. Of course, he had no role to play in Fox insisting on signing contracts for Laxmmi Bomb more than three months in advance but one wonders what he must’ve gone through when the contracts for Baaghi 3 were being held back because of the imminent clash of a Salman starrer and an Akshay starrer.