Anees Bazmee Says Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 And Singham Again Clash Impacted Revenue: ‘Business Could’ve Doubled’
The Diwali clash between Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again was a hot topic in Bollywood this year. Anees Bazmee, the director of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, reflected on the competition, calling it “unfortunate” and revealing how both films suffered due to the overlap.
The much-discussed Diwali clash between Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again became a defining moment in Bollywood’s calendar this year. While Anees Bazmee’s horror-comedy ultimately edged ahead of Rohit Shetty’s high-octane action spectacle, the competition between the two films was fierce, particularly in the opening days. Speaking with Baradwaj Rangan on Galatta Plus, Bazmee candidly addressed the situation, calling the clash “unfortunate" and acknowledging that both films could have performed significantly better if they had released solo. Despite this, he explained that postponing his film’s release was simply not feasible.
Reflecting on the clash, Bazmee said, “It would have been great for both the films without a clash. If we had a solo release, then the business would have doubled and the same applies to them as well. I know that, I believe it. Main kuch kar naahi sakta tha (I couldn’t do anything about it). We announced over a year ago that we will come on this day. All the work was going on at full speed because we have made the film in a very less period of time. We started the film in March and released in November."
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The director shed light on the intense work schedule leading up to Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’s release, revealing the toll it took on the team. “So, in the last month before the release, I was working for 46-48 hours without sleep. The machine that we use to work on showed that we have already been working for 154 hours, so the person who handles it said that it will blow up if we don’t stop it now. We were working like this. So, not just a week, we wouldn’t have been able to release even three days before the actual date. We were working on the film till the very last day," Bazmee shared.
Postponing the release was also not a viable option, according to the director. “About postponing, that also wasn’t possible. We had already announced it since the beginning and the publicity was done accordingly. Moreover, everyone wanted to come on Diwali. There wasn’t much that I could do. With their subject, it might have been a compulsion for them also to release the film on Diwali. They were also right to do so. This clash was quite unfortunate, both the films faced a certain loss because of that. But sometimes, some things are not in your control and I don’t think so much. Moreover, every film has its own fate, it gets what it is supposed to get."
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, featuring Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri in lead roles, delivered a mix of laughter and thrills, continuing its legacy as a beloved franchise. Singham Again, directed by Rohit Shetty, boasted a power-packed ensemble, including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Tiger Shroff, providing audiences with Shetty’s signature dose of high-energy action. Despite the challenges posed by the clash, both films carved their own space in an eventful Diwali box office season.
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