MUMBAI: Breaking away from the practice of keeping away from big ticket films in the opening month of the year till yet, filmmakers are gearing up to release the films in January net year.

Slated for January are two mega-budget films, Abbas-Mustan‘s Players that releases on 6 January and Karan Johar‘s Agneepath that releases on Republic Day. Meanwhile, the Vidya Balan-starrer Kahaani and Ratan Jain‘s Tezz have been pushed ahead.

"Though the year would have started on a cracking note if Agneepath would have clashed with Tezz, but unfortunately that has been averted. But there‘s enough buzz about Players to keep the anticipation high," observed trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

Apart from these two, there are almost eight to 10 mid to small-budget films that would release in the opening month. They are 3 Bachelors, Chaalis Chauraasi, Chaar Din Ki Chandni, Ghost, It‘s My Life, Sadda Adda, Tutiya Dil and Ghantey Mein 5 Crore.

Filmmakers have for long been wary of releasing their films in the month of January, but now they have realised that a well-marketed, good product will work no matter the time of the release while a bad product will flop no matter how auspicious the date of release.

But all that finally changed this year, after four of the seven films released were declared hits thus breaking the January jinx.