Mumbai:
It
was
meant
to
be
a
huge
marketing
coup
with
Salman
Khan
opening
up
the
hitherto
dormant
Japanese
market
for
Bollywood
with
a
nationwide
release
of
Yash
Raj
Film's
Ek
Tha
Tiger.
Director
Kabir
Khan
flew
excitedly
into
a
four-city
tour
of
Japan
last
week
at
the
invitation
of
the
Japanese
distributors
Nikkatsu
Corporation
and
the
release
date
was
fixed
for
April
20
in
Japan.
But
now,
in
what
appears
to
be
a
hasty
and
clever
business
manoeuvre,
Eros
International
has
announced
the
Japanese
release
of
their
2007
Shahrukh
Khan
blockbuster
Om
Shanti
Om.
Titled
"Koi
Suru
Rinne",
with
Japanese
subtitles,
Om
Shanti
Om
would
get
a
15-print
release
across
Japan
on
March
16.
While
Eros
maintains
that
their
rush-release
of
Om
Shanti
Om
in
Japan
this
weekend
has
nothing
to
do
with
Yash
Raj's
carefully-strategised
Japanese
release
plans
for
Ek
Tha
Tiger,
a
source
close
to
both
the
actors
spills
the
beans
revealing
that
the
overnight
decision
to
release
Om
Shanti
Om
in
Japan
was
primarily
a
means
to
give
Shahrukh
a
head-start
over
Salman
in
the
Japanese
market,
which
is
still
a
nascent
Bollywood
market.
Says
the
source,
"Where
and
when
did
Japan
come
into
the
picture?
When
Yash
Raj
took
the
initiative
by
flying
Kabir
Khan
to
Japan
to
open
up
the
Bollywood
market
in
the
country
with
Ek
Tha
Tiger.
Eros
immediately
planned
a
rush-release
of
Om
Shanti
Om.
"Why
a
seven-year
old
film
now?
Two
reasons.
One,
because
reincarnation
is
a
big
high
for
the
Japanese.
And
two,
because
a
Shahrukh-starrer
needed
to
enter
the
market
before
Salman's
Ek
Tha
Tiger."
While
Eros
maintains
that
Bollywood
and
Shahrukh
have
a
"cult
following" in
Japan,
Ek
Tha
Tiger
director
Kabir
Khan
confirms
that
Japan
is
new
to
Bollywood.
"I
wonder
why
Bollywood
has
not
explored
Japan
for
shooting?
I
don't
think
any
significant
Hindi
film
after
Love
In
Tokyo
has
been
shot
in
Japan,"
said
Khan.
"There
is
a
zero
market
for
Indian
films
and
filmmakers
in
the
country.
Even
Rajinikanth's
popularity
in
Japan
was
only
a
phase
that
has
now
faded.
As
things
stand,
Japan
has
no
knowledge
of
Bollywood
or
Bollywood
stars.
It
was
Nikkatsu
Corporation
who
took
the
initiative
to
bring
Bollywood
into
Japan.
We
are
starting
from
scratch
in
Japan."
Significantly
Kabir
sidelines
the
pre-emptive
Om
Shanti
Om
release
until
reminded
of
it.
"Yes,
I
believe
Om
Shanti
Om
is
releasing
in
Japan.
But
it's
not
a
part
of
Nikkatsu's
Bollywood
plans.
We've
plans
of
initially
releasing
30
prints
of
Ek
Tha
Tiger
in
Japan
to
be
scaled
up
to
70
prints.
Their
initial
package
includes
Ek
Tha
Tiger,
Jab
Tak
Hai
Jaan,
3
Idiots
and
Don
2.
With
these
films
they
hope
to
introduce
a
taste
for
Bollywood
in
Japan."
"Hopefully,
we'd
also
start
shooting
some
films
in
Japan.
I
really
don't
know
why
Japan
has
been
a
closed
door
for
Bollywood.
Maybe
because
Tokyo
is
considered
an
expensive
city."
IANS
SRK-Salman's
Pics
Shahrukh,
Salman
at
an
award
show.
SRK-Salman's
Pics
Shahrukh
and
Salman
with
Hrithik.
SRK-Salman's
Pics
Shahrukh,
Salman
with
Hrithik
and
Abhishek.
SRK-Salman's
Pics
Shahrukh
and
Salman
at
a
Bollywood
event.
SRK-Salman's
Pics
Shahrukh
with
Salman.
SRK-Salman's
Pics
Shahrukh
and
Salman
on
KBC.