The Diwali box office clash between Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again and Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has escalated, with T-Series, the producers of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, seeking intervention from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to address unfair practices by Rohit Shetty’s directorial team. With less than 10 days left, T-Series is demanding a fair distribution of screens, proposing a 50-50% split for their films. The high stakes involved in this conflict are significant, as PVR Pictures, the distributor of Singham Again, has allocated over 60% of shows in PVR Inox theaters to the film. Some single-screen theaters have been asked to dedicate all shows to Singham Again, while some are allowed to screen Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 only in early morning slots.
The outcome of this dispute will significantly impact the box office performance of both films, with the CCI’s decision closely watched by the industry and fans alike. Film producer and film business expert Girish Johar explains that the clash is not new in the industry, as it depends on demand and supply. Multiplexes that do flexible programming can change their shows if the other film is not doing well, making the situation more complex.
Ajay Devgn’s situation has been ironic, as his company filed a complaint against his film Son of Sardaar in 2012, similar to the previous incident. Johar expressed skepticism about the CCI’s potential intervention, stating that the last time such a situation occurred, they didn’t intervene. He also noted that the cost of Singham Again is higher than Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Johar concluded that there won’t be further cognizance in this matter, as T-Series has a good line-up of films and distribution network. Singham Again’s team hasn’t responded to Screen’s request for a comment.
