Here's how Independence Day has become important for big Bollywood releases

Booking long holiday weekends is a tradition worldwide and India hasn’t shied away from adopting this strategy, especially when these days attract the masses to the ticket windows. For a wider reach and maximum collections, filmmakers and studios are always struggling to get these dates to release their movies. Such lucrative periods also include public holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day, apart from festive weekends.

This Independence Day is no exception: two big-ticket films are releasing in theatres near you. Akshay Kumar’s Gold will clash with John Abraham’s Satyameva Jayate. Both films are based on the patriotism theme, which is a formula for success on such national holidays.

Over the years, the I-Day weekend has proved to be profitable for Bollywood and the proof of this is the success of films like Rustom, Toilet-Ek Prem Katha, Ek Tha Tiger and so on. One of the most iconic films of all time — Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay — had also released on this very day 43 years ago.

In the last 12 years, every Independence Day had a big Bollywood film to offer, making it an eventful holiday for movie-goers. Last year’s release, Toilet-Ek Prem Katha, not only minted Rs 132 crore but also opened up a discussion on the need for proper sanitation. The film was also second on Bill Gates’ inspiration list in 2017.  While actor Akshay Kumar called the film his contribution towards the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, PM Narendra Modi appreciated his effort to further spread the message of cleanliness.

If the Khans of Bollywood dominate festival holidays like Eid, Diwali and Christmas, then Akshay Kumar is entertaining audiences on I-Day and Republic Day. 2016 saw another Akshay Kumar release on Independence Day, Rustom, which too collected over Rs 100 crore.

Other films released during the Independence Day weekend include Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), Kaminey (2009), Peepli Live (2010), Aarakshan (2011), Madras Café, Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobara, Satyagraha (2013) and Brothers (2015).

But films like Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger, Ajay Devgn’s Singham Returns, Shah Rukh Khan’s Chak De! India need special mention. While the first two films had a strong box-office run, Khan’s Chak De did more than just entertain cinema lovers. It not only made a sports film famous in India but also highlighted the need to change the face of sports for women in the country. Chak De! completed 10 years on August 10 and arguably remains one of the best sports movies made in India.

Kumar's Gold, a sports film based on hockey, is witnessing a strong advance sale and is likely to get around Rs 10 crore, according to a Box Office India report.

Will August 15 prove to be a great day for the two new ventures? Only time will tell.