Locking horns: ‘Suicide Squad’ to clash with ‘Mohenjo Daro’ in Pakistan

Both films have triggered controversies for various reasons

KARACHI: August 12 marks the release of various films in Pakistan but the two that stand out are DC’s highly anticipated Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayer, and Indian film-maker Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Mohenjo Daro. A great deal of hype has been created for both movies; however, what remains to be seen is how they fare in Pakistan.

Mohenjo Daro recently gained a lot of criticism for its historical inaccuracies as shown in the trailer. The director even responded to them asking everyone to suspend disbelief while watching the film. On the other hand, Suicide Squad dwells in the controversy surrounding negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans of the movie have even started a petition demanding to shut down the popular film website, where Suicide Squad currently holds a 31% rating. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how all the hype and the controversies affect their business.

“There is just no comparison. The audience is totally different for both movies. Mohenjo Daro is going to fare well, I think, because it has more mass appeal. And then, franchises die down in Pakistan. So, there’s that for Suicide Squad as well,” General Manager Super Cinemas Khorem Gultasab told The Express Tribune.

Back in 2008, Managing Director Atrium Cinemas Nadeem Mandviwala released The Dark Knight in Pakistan, which was a massive success. However, globally, recent releases such as Batman vs Superman and Star Wars: The Force Awakens have disappointed the audience. In Pakistan, such franchises never really score big, except with ardent fans.

IMGC Entertainment marketing manager Sabina Islam  said, “We are expecting a good turnout. Mohenjo Daro has a familiarity advantage, I believe. We know what Mohenjo Daro is, and that factor will definitely come into play.” IMGC is the local distributer of Mohenjo Daro.

The Indian movie stars Hrithik Roshan in the lead role, alongside Pooja Hedge, who is making her Bollywood debut with the project. On the other hand, Suicide Squad too boasts a star-studded cast including Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2016.

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