No contest: Salman Khan in London Dreams and Amitabh Bachchan in Aladin

Salman Khan: 81.

Amitabh Bachchan: 48.

If the number of shows allotted to London Dreams and Aladin at city multiplexes is any indication of box-office draw, Bollywood’s biggest name has lost out to the year’s most Wanted star even before the first day, first show curtains go up on the two biggies.

Bachchan’s first film this year (barring a two-minute appearance in Delhi-6) has managed roughly half the number of shows compared with the musical that reunites the Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam pair of Salman and Ajay Devgn, and throws in Ghajini girl Asin.

“The genre of a film matters as much as its star pull. London Dreams has the potential to attract a larger section of the audience demographically, while Aladin seems more like a children’s film which may get limited to just kids and families,” says Rishi Negi of Fame Cinemas which has lined up 25 shows of London Dreams and only 11 of Aladin at its South City and Hiland Park properties.

INOX has nearly twice the number of shows for musicians Salman-Ajay against genie Bachchan in its four city plexes. Says Virendra Marya of INOX: “The promos of London Dreams have tickled audience interest.” That is evident from the advances. “In the first two days of bookings, the takers for London Dreams have been twice more than Aladin,” reveals a multiplex source, underlining that the Amitabh vs Salman showdown in the all-important first weekend is turning out to be a “no-contest”.

“We have a lot of expectations from London Dreams,” says Arun Mehra of Aum Moviez, which is distributing the Rs 60 crore film in 90 screens in Bengal.

Lokesh Mukut of MM Moviez, distributors of the rival Rs 60 crore film, claims that the slow-and-steady opening is strategy not suicide. “We have gone for fewer shows as we want the film to be shown in time slots that families and children can go for.... We are confident that Bachchan’s star pull will ensure a long run for Aladin.”

Aladin and AB can take heart from a few films that have bucked the mega first weekend trend to open small and then become big. Chak De!India started out with baby steps but raced away to become a huge hit in 2007. Recently, Wake Up Sid had more shows in Week 2 than 1.