This Diwali is set for a big box office battle between two of Bollywood’s major films—Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again and Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Both films are scheduled to release on November 1, and the competition over screen allocation has already begun.
The producers of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, T-Series, have taken their fight to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), asking for a fair 50-50 split of screens with Singham Again. According to reports, PVR Pictures, the distributor of Singham Again, has allocated more than 60% of screens in PVR Inox theaters to the Ajay Devgn starrer, leaving Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 with fewer slots, some even at inconvenient early morning times.
T-Series believes this is unfair and has requested the CCI to ensure equal screen time for both films. The stakes are high as both movies are expected to be huge hits, and the number of screens each gets will directly affect their box office performance.
Interestingly, Ajay Devgn faced a similar situation in 2012, when his film Son of Sardaar clashed with Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Back then, he also approached the CCI but the market forces were left to decide the outcome.
Film expert Girish Johar points out that clashes like this are common in the industry, especially during big festivals like Diwali. While T-Series is pushing for equality, Johar believes that the CCI may not intervene, as the industry usually lets market demand determine which film gets more screens.
With both movies featuring star-studded casts, this Diwali box office clash is definitely one to watch!