Clash of the cool!

They’re being touted as Bollywood’s coolest movies of 2011 — and on July 1, the ‘angry old man’ Amitabh Bachchan’s Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap (BHTB) will lock horns at the box office with Aamir Khan’s cult-styled flick, Delhi Belly.

Bachchan’s AB Corp co-production with Viacom 18, the Big B starrer has been made on a modest budget of Rs 10.5 crores and in the film, the 68-year-old star is set to revive his cult angry, young man image of the 70s . Meanwhile, Delhi Belly which stars 28-year-old Imran Khan as a criminal, is slated to become Bollywood’s answer to Hollywood films such as Guy Ritchie’s Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

“The two films together are worth above Rs 40 crores and will definitely cut into each others business. This is one weekend when audiences will be really spoilt for choice,” says analyst Taran Adarsh.

AmitabhFilm critic, Anupama Chopra, says one can’t predict which of the two will get a better opening. Delhi Belly is about the youth while BHTB is a nostalgia trip, they will have to fight hard at the box office,” she says.

Bachchan is thrilled with the buzz around BHTB. “The film was completed in Rs 10.5 crore, it’s in profit before release... satellite sold for Rs 13.5cr,” he tweeted.

The clash already has fans fighting it out online. “Who wants to see a 70-year-old man try and act cool! No way, I’m sure Imran will be cooler anyday,” wrote Paresh Tandon on Facebook. “Delhi Belly looks boring. It’s a niche film, I’d much rather see BHTB,” tweeted Sachin Rao.

Adarsh says there’s another biggie on the way. “Beware Mr Bachchan and Mr Khan, Transformers 3 releases on the same day too!” he adds.

Bbuddah Hoga Terra Baap

* Produced by AB Corp and Viacom 18 at a budget of R10.5 crore
* Stars Amitabh Bachchan, 68, Hema Malini,62, and Raveena Tandon,36
* The romantic-comedy releases on July 1