The biggest box-office clash of 2024 unfolded on Diwali with the release of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, directed by Anees Bazmee, and Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again. While both films have emerged as box-office hits, the lead-up to the release was marked by tension between the two camps. T-Series head Bhushan Kumar has now shared insights into the behind-the-scenes efforts to prevent the clash.
In a recent conversation with Connect Cine, Bhushan Kumar revealed that he, along with Singham Again lead Ajay Devgn and director Rohit Shetty, tried to avoid the overlap. However, both teams faced unavoidable commitments. “I even met Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty. I told them, I had announced the film first and had some commitments to OTT platforms which is why I could not push the film,” Bhushan explained. “They understood, but they also had their limitations as the film’s theme was inspired by Ramayana, so they could not miss the Diwali release.”
Ahead of the release, tension surfaced over screen allocation, with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’s team alleging unfair distribution in favor of Singham Again. Bhushan explained, “I didn’t go to the Competition Commission. We had a lot of arguments with the Singham Again team because they were being unfair. In all survey reports, we were equal; on that basis, we had requested the competition commission to keep the screen allocation 50-50.” Despite the back-and-forth, Bhushan acknowledged that, “There was some personal interest behind this favouritism…but they also assured me that they wouldn’t let my film bear losses.”
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Ultimately, Bhushan Kumar suggested a pragmatic approach, “Eventually, I suggested starting the advance booking and seeing the response, because our film was buzzing.” With an impressive Rs 36 crore-plus opening, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 held its ground against Singham Again. Despite initial friction, both films achieved success, with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 crossing the Rs 200 crore mark and Singham Again exceeding Rs 150 crore at the domestic box office.
Reflecting on the experience, Bhushan remarked, “In the future, two big films should not clash, since it affects the business.” While the Diwali clash brought tension, the box-office performance of both films has underscored the strength of both franchises, making this one of the year’s most memorable box-office battles.
