Last weekend was crowded at the box office with Crakk— Jeetegaa Toh Jiyegaa, All India Rank and Article 370 hitting the marquee. But there’s more waiting in the wings. Six films are slated to release this Friday—director Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, Varun Tej’s Operation Valentine, Ranvir Shorey-led Accident or Conspiracy: Godhra, Rasika Dugal-starrer Fairy Folk, Bejoy Nambiar’s bilingual Dange, and Kaagaz 2 that was created by the late Satish Kaushik. Naturally then, it will be a fight for eyeballs.      

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh notes that while most are small films, Laapataa Ladies, a social comedy revolving around two new brides who are accidentally switched, has an advantage over the rest. Reason? Producer Aamir Khan, and Rao at the helm. “It’s attracting attention because of Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao reuniting after Dhobi Ghat [2011]. It also has a studio [Jio Studios] backing it. There are limited theatres, among which Fighter, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Article 370 and Crakk [are vying for screens]. Laapataa Ladies will get preference, after which the remaining movies will be given screens. The problem is not for exhibitors, but for the common man, who doesn’t have the time or money to watch so many films. He’ll go for just one, as he knows the rest will release on OTT. So, [the filmmakers’] motive of being seen in theatres is lost,” he explains.