Saif Ali Khan and Bipasha Basu in Race, releasing on Friday with 72 multiplex shows

Twenty shows a day at a single plex; 72 shows a day at all five plexes in town — the Race to cash in is on this festive Friday.

The first big Bollywood release after Jodhaa Akbar (February 15) is big on the buzz, thanks to chartbuster music and the all-star cast of Saif, Bipasha, Katrina, Akshaye, Sameera and Anil Kapoor.

Reason enough for the highest number of shows at a single plex in town to double. Mangal Pandey — The Rising and Heyy Babyy had 10 shows each at INOX (Forum) but the new Abbas-Mustan thriller is starting with 20 shows at the new six-screen Fame (South City) on March 21.

“Our concept is like that of an airline — if there is a demand in a particular sector go big with it,” says Shravan Shroff, the managing director of Fame India. “Whenever we have opened with so many shows in Mumbai, the response has been terrific. And Race is the ideal film to showcase our new property in town.” So, there will be 20 shows between 10.15am and 10.50pm.

INOX is not far behind with 13 shows at both Forum and City Centre and 14 shows at 89 Cinemas. “It is our own movie as INOX is distributing Race in this territory. With the exams over and the Holi weekend, we expect good numbers,” says Vikas Syal, the general manager of INOX (Forum).

The initial response has been racy, with the block booking count crossing 20 across plexes. There is no competition in sight for Race with Jodhaa Akbar struggling to pull off two shows a day at a plex and the next big Bolly releases being U Me Aur Hum and Krazzy 4 on April 11.