Star wars at the BO

It���s been a tough year for Bollywood.
First with recession, then with many promising films failing to deliver at the box office, and now the recent terrorist attacks. However, the coming weeks promise to break that thanda spell with some high octane action, if only on screen.
All eyes are riveted on Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan to haul the industry out of its slump after Salman Khan dashed all hopes with his fourth consecutive flop Yuvvraaj.As their films promise to slash the existing bleakness, Bollywood���s preparing to witness a clash of the titans at the BO. Like last year saw back-to-back blockbuster releases of the trio in Om Shanti Om, Welcome and Taare Zameen Par ��� this year, too, Bollywood seems to have saved it���s best for the last with SRK���s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Akshay���s Jumbo and Aamir Khan���s Ghajini lined up for release.
Interestingly, all films dabble in different genres and showcase actors in never-before avatars. So, while Akshay will be heard more than seen as the lovable Jumbo���s voice and SRK adopts a geek-to-hero look, Aamir���s sexilicious packs will ensure him giving a tagdi takkar to both, the Action King and Badshah Khan.
Said trade analyst Komal Nahta, ���Audiences are finally in for a treat. These stars are definitely the crowd-pullers and the year may end on a good note for the industry.��� Taran Adarsh, also a trade analyst, agreed, ���Bollywood���s desperately in need of a hit of a big magnitude. In an industry already hit by recession and empty theatre halls due to the recent attacks, these stars are definitely looked upon as the silver lining. They will hopefully be able to attract the masses back to the theatres.��� Taran added that so far the year belongs to Akshay who���s flying high with Singh is Kinng under his wings and can be forgiven for the dud Tashan: ���There is no denying that Akshay has more money riding on him than any other star at the moment.
Jumbo looks like a film families would turn up to watch and kids in particular.���
As for Aamir ���perfectionist��� Khan, both Taran and Komal vouched that his look in Ghajini had already generated a lot of buzz and the audience was keen for the film to release, which is a good sign. ���With Aamir���s track record he will even deliver. This is his only release this year and the masses are already talking about seeing him doing action,��� added Nahta.
SRK���s Rab Ne... too is one of the most-awaited films of the year and not only is SRK banking heavily on the success of his only release this year, but so is Aditya Chopra after the spate of flops his production house has delivered. But Taran is optimistic. He said, ���It���s an unbeatable team ��� Aditya and SRK. People are bound to flock to theatres to watch this one.��� While Nahta added, ���It���s a classic underdog story of a guy turning from zero to hero and a familiar territory that Shah Rukh excels in ��� romance. A sureshot formula that is bound to find an instant conect with the masses.���
Never mind that such back-to-back releases also promise to heat up the ongoing tug-of-war for the number one position between the three superstars, trade pundits are sure that each of them will be able to hold their forte even when pitched against each other. Nahta explained, ���The reason they are superstars is because the outcome of their films does not affect their status as stars.��� Taran concluded, ���There���s room for everyone, but it will be interesting to watch whose film takes a bigger opening.���