released last weekend to a thumping response and its distributors, UTV, did a great job having it censored by the Pakistan board on time for a simultaneous release. But obtaining a censor certificate for Taare Zameen Par was not so easy when it was released in December and the film was cleared in that country only this week.

As a result, we have Race and TZP opening almost simultaneously in Pakistan. Who will emerge the winner? Well, TZP certainly does have the better visibility factor of the two, having been proclaimed a huge hit already and with quite a few awards under its belt. Of course, the star presence of Aamir Khan could also play a vital role in the film’s success. But Race cannot be discounted, as it has the label of the no holds barred entertainer/thriller, the Saif, Akshaye factor, and not to mention the three hottest ladies in Bollywood.

So, what’s it going to be? One hopes it is another repeat of the Christmas-New Year story where Welcome reaped the initial success and left the slow pick-up kind of business for Taare Zameen Par. It certainly is a win-win situation for everyone then.