Imtiaz is not losing any sleep over the box office conundrum of June 12. His film is in for a head-on with Kangana Ranaut’s Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata and a couple of others, yet his take is refreshingly laid back: we put our name down first, and if they want to be there too, fine.
A four-way June 12 face-off
Back when Main Vaapas Aaunga put in its order for June 12, 2026, it was the only one in the room. Not anymore. You have Vikram Bhatt’s Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past, Manoj Bajpayee in Governor: The Silent Saviour, and then there is Kangana’s Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata – all have made their move for the same day. The numbers don’t lie: – We are looking at four films for one day: June 12 – Main Vaapas Aaunga was the first to call dibs – Imtiaz is not fussed by the overlap – There is no shortage of talk around the trailer and the score
Imtiaz Ali stays unfazed
‘These things are out of your hands. We were the ones to announce it,’ says Imtiaz. ‘I’m only now being told other films are coming out then as well. But if that’s how it is, let it be.’ He puts it down to the unspoken code of the business. ‘There is a bhaichara of sorts – my film is on, so you hold off and come next time. It has its way of working.’ Then he gives you the hard truth: ‘You have 52 weeks and more than 52 films to put out in a year. Some of this is unavoidable.’
Why this date crunch matters
With four contenders for the same Friday, you give the audience too many options and word-of-mouth is what will make or break you. For the moviegoer, it’s not about picking sides; it’s about which one of those trailers or performances is going to be the one that sells them on the ticket for the weekend.
Trailer buzz and cast moments
We put the trailer out there at an event in Mumbai a few days ago and the reaction has been very good. With Naseeruddin Shah, Diljit Dosanjh, Sharvari and Vedang Raina in front of the camera, people are talking and it has put the film on the map as one to see.
Imtiaz has a strong cast with him for the June 12 release. Even though Diljit couldn’t be with us for the launch, he made sure to put in a video for the fans. ‘Hello folks, this is Diljit Dosanjh. My love and greetings to you. Go on and have a good time with the trailer of Main Vaapas Aaunga. I am in Texas and could not make it. In fact, tonight’s show here is a sell-out. I have a few things to see to, and I expect you to do the same. Jaldi Main Bhi Vaapas Aaunga. If you like the trailer, share it. Don’t? Share it anyway! It is an Imtiaz Ali film after all.’
Music trio returns with early favourites
It is the old reliable combination of Imtiaz, AR Rahman and Irshad Kamil once again, and the soundtrack is doing its job of building the hype. Everyone had high hopes and from what we are hearing, the music has delivered. You have ‘Kya Kamaal Hai’, ‘Maskara’ and ‘Vo Nahin’ out there and they are turning heads. For a lot of fans, that is already enough to put a pin in their plans for the first show on June 12.
