Jio Studios has turned a distribution setback into a direct box-office confrontation. Days after losing the distribution mandate for Dinesh Vijan-produced Eetha to PVR Pictures, the studio has aligned with Salman Khan to release Maatrubhumi on December 4 — the same date Eetha is scheduled to open.
A split turns into a same-date contest
Bollywood Hungama reports that PVR Pictures replaced Jio Studios as distributor of Eetha, a move that surprised the trade because Maddock has often partnered with Jio Studios on distribution. Jio Studios then landed on December 4 for Maatrubhumi, directed by Apoorva Lakhia.
Eetha marks Laxman Uttekar’s return to the big screen after Chhavva, while Lakhia is best known for Shootout at Lokhandwala. A trade source said Ramayana is “slowly gaining momentum” and the studio felt November 20 was not the strongest option.
The runway matters more than the clash
The source said the new date gives Maatrubhumi a clean two-week run until Avengers: Doomsday arrives. Jio Studios is confident the date can hold both its film and Eetha, and the source described the Salman Khan clash as likely to be “civil and respectful.”
That two-week gap is the number exhibitors should watch. A title with a clear runway can hold premium screens, defend show counts and build word of mouth before a global tentpole resets the calendar.
- Jio Studios lost Eetha’s distribution to PVR Pictures.
- Maatrubhumi, starring Salman Khan, is now set for December 4.
- The date provides roughly two weeks before Avengers: Doomsday opens.
- The clash is being positioned as manageable rather than hostile.
What media planners should watch
For entertainment marketers, this becomes a test of whether one weekend can support two big Hindi releases. If both films secure wide counts, the week-two hold will say more than opening day about which title has momentum.
It also shows how tentpole calendars now shape local release strategy. Studios are measuring how many clear days a title can secure before the next global film arrives, and December 4 is the answer here.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com
