This week will see the release of Dear Zindagi and it is the first film since the Diwali releases with some potential even though the promos and music are nothing much. The film is basically a content film which is for the minority in the metros but what gives it more potential is the star power of Shahrukh Khan. If you take the out the Shahrukh Khan factor the film is one of those 3-4 crore nett openers. A Highway (2014) opened to 3.21 crore nett though Alia Bhatt is a much bigger star today though on the flip-side is that Highway had better music. These sort of films can be good for producers / distributors if they work due to controlled budgets (read Neerja, Pink)  but as they have no reach and are limited in appreciation they can't do much for the actors in real terms. Awards are possible but they hold no value in India and are generally fake anyway. 

The Shahrukh Khan factor will help here immensely, it is hard to say how much but definitely the opening will be much higher than it would have taken otherwise though obviously nothing like a Shahrukh Khan level opening. There was a film few years back called Billu (2009) which had a Shahrukh Khan in a similar extended guest role but the difference is how this film has been promoted. In that film the actual cast also got footage in the promos of the film but here the main heroes of the film have been practically hidden. This in fact may possibly be the USP of the film as far as initial goes as if the other heroes are shown then the presence of Shahrukh Khan actually starts looking like any other special appearance and the film starts looking a much lesser product.

It will be interesting how this film plays out because if the opening goes higher than the content deserves than sustaining will be tough task.