Actor Saif Ali Khan's latest movie Bunty Aur Babli 2 is set to hit the screens on Friday, which has created a fair deal of buzz among 'Chotte Nawab' fans. The flick is a sequel to the 2005 release Bunty Aur Babli and revolves around what happens when the titular characters lock horns with 'copycat cons'. So, will the Yash Raj Films-backed biggie live up to expectations at the box office? Here's our SWOT analysis
Strengths
Bunty Aur Babli became reasonably popular in the smaller cities because of the fact that it was set in the Hindi heartland and revolved around the aspirations of two simpletons. Bunty Aur Babli 2 will benefit from the franchise's popularity. Moreover, Saif and Rani Mukerji are 'A-listers' in their own right. Their association with the film should help it open to a decent response at the box office.
Also Read | Five reasons to watch Saif Ali Khan-Rani Mukerji's 'Bunty Aur Babli 2'
Weaknesses
Bunty Aur Babli featured instant chartbusters such as Kajra Re and Hum Chale, which helped it find wide patronage. Bunty Aur Babli 2 has not been able to deliver on this front as none of the songs are as catchy as expected. Moreover, Siddhant Chaturvedi and debutante Sharvari -- who play the copycat cons-- are not big names in Bollywood. It remains to be seen whether the audience accepts this new jodi.
Opportunities
The film features Pankaj Tripathi in a key role. While the Gurgaon actor is not perceived to be a big draw in Bollywood, he has garnered a fair deal of attention in recent years with his work in the web series Mirzapur and the direct-to-OTT movies Mimi and Gunjan Saxena. 'Kaleen' may help the film get good patronage in markets such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Moreover, time is just about perfect as Covid-19 restrictions have been eased in most states.
Threats
Abhishek Bachchan is regarded as the face of the franchise. The underrated actor highlighted Bunty's aspirations and vulnerabilities reasonably well with his restrained performance. Saif will be compared with AB Jr, which will not work in the movie's favour. Bunty Aur Babli 2 may also face competition from the Diwali release Sooryavanshi as the Akshay Kumar-starrer is still doing well in 'B' and 'C' centres. The 'massy' actioners Antim and Satyameva Jayate 2 will give it a run for its money in its second week. In other words, Bunty Aur Babli 2 needs to do the bulk of its business in the opening week itself.