The stage is set for one of the biggest battles in Bollywood history, as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again, are all set to grace the screens, this Diwali, November 1. While Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 boasts of a heavy duty star cast like Kartik Aaryan, Madhuri Dixit and Vidya Balan, along with Triptii Dimri, Singham Again too, brings the crème de la crème of Bollywood under one banner. The Rohit Shetty actioner stars Ajay Devgn at the helm, supported by Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Tiger Shroff, Akshay Kumar and Arjun Kapoor (phew!).
Historically speaking, Diwali has always been considered a gold mine when it comes to big Bollywood releases, however, the real battle is much more complex. With huge stars backing such releases, the battle invariably turns out to be more than just BO numbers, with ego clashes ruling the roost. ETimes digs deeper to find out more…
Festive fervor
Movie Trade Expert Girish Wankhede gives us a thorough low down on the entire scenario. He says, “This Diwali promises to be a significant event at the Indian box office, with two highly anticipated films, “Singam Again” and “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3,” set to clash. Both films come with strong franchise backing, a star-studded cast, and considerable brand recognition, making them well-positioned for success.”
Delving more on the background of such clashes, he adds, “Historically, Diwali has been a lucrative time for film releases in India. For instance, in 2012, “Son of Sardar” and “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” both performed well, while in 2008, “Fashion” and “Golmaal Returns” also saw great box office success. The festive period encourages families to go out for entertainment, making it a prime time for movie releases. If the films resonate well with audiences, they tend to perform exceptionally; however, if they fail to meet expectations, as seen in 2022 with “Ram Setu” and “Thank God,” they can struggle.”
Is there a pattern?
Girish says, “Looking back at previous Diwali releases, we see a pattern: films like “Secret Superstar” and “Golmaal Again” found success in 2017, while “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” outperformed “Shivaay” in 2016. In 2019, “Housefull 4” outdid “Made in China” and “Saand Ki Aankh.” The success of these films often hinges on strong content, effective marketing, and the excitement generated around the franchise.
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The historical context is rich, with iconic films like “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” in 1995 and “Don” in 2006 showcasing how well films can perform during this festive season. The audience anticipation, coupled with the visibility and marketing efforts, play a crucial role in determining box office success.”
He added, “For “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3” and “Singam Again,” the combination of festive spirit and the strength of their respective franchises positions them for a potentially explosive Diwali box office in 2024. If both films deliver quality content and engage audiences, they are likely to achieve remarkable success during this pivotal time in Indian cinema.”
Was the clash avoidable?
Saurabh Varma, Film Director, and Trade Analyst, says, “This Diwali, the clash between Bhool Bhulaiya 3 and Singham Again ideally should have been avoided, but given that it’s one of the most popular weeks of the year, a few film clashes are inevitable. Historically, more than two films have released during this festive period, as seen when Veer-Zaara, Aitraaz, and Mughal-e-Azam all came out in the same week. However, post-pandemic, this is the first year where the world is bouncing back at full scale, with audiences eager to watch films, be entertained, and escape their daily lives.”
Commenting on both the movies’ anticipated business, Saurabh adds, “Both Bhool Bhulaiya 3 and Singham Again are likely to perform well, as they each feature popular ingredients that succeed in cinemas—comedy and action—amplified by star power. The fact that both films are sequels to blockbusters further enhances their scale. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 brings comedy with Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit teaming up, while Singham Again boasts a multi-star cast delivering the action they’re known for. Which film will ultimately score higher remains to be seen, but it will certainly be an interesting battle at the box office.”
Going back in history
As mentioned ealier, if we turn back pages in history, it has always been a bit of a mixed bag when it came to Bollyood Diwali clashes. In 1998, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Kuch Kuch Hota Hain both released on the same day and did well, though KKHH surpassed BMCH by a huge margin. Before that in 1995, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Yaarana too hit the screens on the same day, but no points for guessing which one turned out to be the winner. In 1996, Raja Hindustani and Ghatak: Lethal too, released a week apart on Diwali, and did well, though the Dharmesh Darshan directed Raja Hindustani went on to become a huge blokbuster. Even Mission Kashmir and Mohabbatein (2000) did well, though the latter, directed by Aditya Chopra raced far, far ahead.
Diwali clashes took prominence after Shah Rukh Khan was in the centre of it in 2012, along with Ajay Devgn complained to the CCI (Competition Commission of India ) when his film Son of Sardaar was facing issues with screen allocation during its release on Diwali. The film was in competition with Shah Rukh Khan and Yash Chopra’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Devgn accused Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan of not giving his film enough screens. The same also caused a rift between Ajay’s wife Kajol, and best friend Karan Johar for many years, before the duo finally decided to bury the hatchet a few years back. This apart, nobody can forget the Kaabil and Raees clash, (2017) where it was more about one upmanship between Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan, however, both films ended up with moderate success at the BO, reinforcing the notion, that the star power apart, it is the audience that truly makes or breaks a film.
The Multiplex era changed the game in early 2000s, with all producers wanting maximum screens, and that led to the tussle. This invariably caused a spill over effect onto the single screen owners, who were black mailed by the stronger producer to give more screens to their movie.
Room for only good cinema, not an ego clash
Film analyst and distributor Raj Bansal says that two big films can easily be accomodated during Diwali to cash in on the holiday fever. However, the more important issue is yes, the ego clash. He said, “Keeping Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 apart, usually the general notion amongst all producers and directors, is that my movie is better, and hence they freeze a big date like Diwali to release their film, without taking the other factors in consideration. However, sometimes the weaker movie develops cold feet closer due to the release date, and that become an issue later on.”
On the other hand, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 director Anees Bazmee says that he is a filmmaker, who does not understand the business aspect of such clashes. He said, “Har picture ki kundali hoti hai, pehle movies hit bhi hui hai, unka apna naseeb hota hai, mera hisaab kitaab kamzor hai (every movie has its own destiny, and there have been many Diwali hits in the past, but my business acumen is low) Personally, Ajay (Devgn), Rohit (Shetty) are my friends, and I want both the films to do well.”
What do the stars think?
During a recent press conference, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 star Kartik Aaryan said, “Diwali is such a significant holiday that I believe two films can easily coexist in theaters. While Singham Again falls under the action genre, our film is a horror-comedy. As a moviegoer, I see it as a festival for all of us, with two options on the same day, which is rare in our industry these days.”
The actor further stated that the release of two big films doesn’t happen often, and he has strong feelings about the success of both films. He added, “Films are not frequently releasing, and we read about this daily. Now, during Diwali, we have two films coming out that audiences have eagerly waited for a long time. I appreciate their film, and I will be watching it too. I hope you all support our film as well. Both films have a strong chance of succeeding; I don’t see it as a competition.”
Earlier, in an exclusive chat with ETimes, Kartik had said, “Yes we have a clash with a big film that has so many stars, and I’m a fan of them. Now both films are coming, and we will have to wait and see the result. I hope both work, and both films releasing is a good thing for the audience, as they have two options to watch . I think the clash was destiny.. I cannot do anything about it.”
What does this week’s clash look like?
Both the films have immense buzz and there’s excitement for both. This has led to a huge dilemma among national chains like PVR Inox to decide on the number of screen.
According to trade website Box Office India, it’s a huge dilemma for big National chains like PVR Inox. while the non-nationals and single screens are going forward with a 50-50 per cent ratio to divide the screens. This is also due to the fact that the distributors of ‘Singham Again’ want a larger share of the profit. The distributors of ‘Singham Again’ want to go with a 60-40 percent in the profit sharing with PVR Inox. Meanwhile, they expect the same from other chains, for instance, 55-45 percent ratio.
Here’s another twist in the tale. No exhibitor would also want to miss out on giving less number of screens to ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ or give more preference to ‘Singham Again’. The reason for that being – the distributor for ‘BB3’ is the same as for ‘Pushpa 2’. If ‘BB3’ is not given enough preference at the moment, it would further affect their negotiations for the big Allu Arjun starrer in the coming months.
With the 50-50 percent ratio overall, the opening weekend is expected to be a full house at most theatres, thus a huge total number is also expected. But post the opening weekend, it shall all depend on the popularity and the demand of the audience, and whichever film is performing better. Depending on the footfalls generated, the exhibitors will eventually alter the screens and shows of the movies.
