Rajinikanth as a scientist in Robot

Ranbir versus Rajini. Romance versus robot. Priyanka versus Aishwarya. Rs 25 crore versus Rs 150 crore. Ranbir Kapoor dancing in a kilt at a Las Vegas nightclub. Rajinikanth running horizontally on a moving train. Ranbir singing: “I look in the mirror and I see your face/ The walls break down down”. Rajini saying: “If I beat you, even Google will not be able to search you!”

So which side of the big Friday fight are you on? The romantic Anjaana Anjaani or the riotous Robot?

“This is the kind of weekend that we hope for and dream about. It’s easily the clash of the year, with both films looking very exciting,” says Mumbai-based trade analyst Taran Adarsh. “After two weeks of a release drought, all hopes are pinned on the tremendous hype surrounding Anjaana Anjaani and Robot,” adds Virendra Marya, the regional director of INOX.

The two are chalk and cheese. One a fresh love story starring Bollywood’s best young blood, the other a gimmicky potboiler riding on the mass appeal of its 60-year-old superstar and a heroine past her prime.

For now, it’s advantage Ranbir-Priyanka, with three times more shows at city multiplexes than Rajini-Ash. But with Rajini pulling in some Tamil shows (Endhiran) too, this is one big pre-Puja box-office battle.

“The advance bookings on Wednesday for both films have been between 30 and 35 per cent which is extremely encouraging. We expect a full weekend,” says Rishi Negi, chief operating officer, Fame Cinemas.

Anjaana Anjaani, powered by a post-Raajneeti Ranbir, a Priyanka cavorting in the deserts of Nevada and Vishal-Shekhar’s foot-tapping music, will lure the young Bolly watcher. The delay of a week — the Ayodhya verdict was initially due on September 24 — has also whetted appetites.

“Anjaana Anjaani is one of the most eagerly-awaited films of the year and so we are having a wide release in close to 65 centres across Bengal,” says Debashish De of Aum Moviez, the regional distributors.

But then Rajini is Rajini. “Any Rajinikanth release is an event. When it comes to superstardom that cuts across age, language and gender, there are few who can match him,” says Adarsh.

Shot across Brazil, US, Vietnam and even Peru’s historic Machu Picchu and releasing with a record 2,000 prints worldwide, Robot has Rajini in the role of a gifted scientist as well as the robot created by him! Add to that a sizzling Aishwarya and A.R. Rahman’s music.

“The craze for Robot is reaching fever-pitch,” says Mahendra Soni of Shree Venkatesh Films that is releasing Robot in Hindi and Endhiran in Tamil across 80 screens in Bengal.

The winner already? The movie buff. “Both my kids love Priyanka and Ranbir and I plan to catch Anjaana Anjaani with them this weekend. But I am equally looking forward to Robot as I love Rajinikanth films,” says actress June.