Explained: Bigger the protest, bigger the blockbuster; remember Dangal and Padmaavat? Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan to follow

Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan is mired in unnecessary controversy. The song Besharam Rang has created massive outrage across the nation for leading lady Deepika Padukone’s saffron bikini, supposedly a disrespect to the tricolor. The pelvic moves and sensuality on display haven’t been digested by the gatekeepers of the society too well. Aftermath? Scissors of the Censor board and of course, protests and preposterousness on display.

Just recently, certain activists of the Bajrang Dal group vandalized a mall in Ahmedabad and tore the posters of the film to vent out their fury over the juggernaut. Will this harm the film at the box-office once it comes out on January 25? History says something else. During the release of Dilwale, exactly on his 50th birthday in 2015, Khan, speaking about intolerance in the country, said, “I mean just for the symbolic gesture, yes, if I have to. But there is intolerance. There’s extreme intolerance. I think there’s growing intolerance.” This led to the ban of his film in multiple states in the country. Yet, it managed to rake in around Rs 300 crore worldwide, smashing multiple records.

In the same year, Aamir Khan spoke at an event how his then wife Kiran Rao felt unsafe in India. The man was threatened, called a traitor and hurled with abuses. His film Dangal also came under the scrutiny of the watchmen, and when it did come out, it became the highest grossing Hindi film in history. Hate was silenced and success roared.

History repeated itself when Sanjay Leela Bhansali made Padmaavat. The Karni Sena alleged certain facts about history have been distorted and violently attacked the filmmaker in broad daylight, effigies were burnt, bounties on cutting noses were announced, Rangolis were destroyed, and not expectedly, so were the records. Padmaavat, despite not getting a release in few states, smashed over Rs 280 crore at the ticket windows.

With Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, history is very much likely to repeat itself. For all the fire burning inside haters and trolls, let that sprinkle at the box-office this 25 January.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram