Clash of the Titans: What’s in Store?

After films like "Jigra" and "Vicky Vidya Ka Wo Wala Video," there hasn’t been a significant release featuring big stars or a major banner. However, this Diwali (November 1) brings two big films: Ajay Devgn’s "Singham Again" and Kartik Aaryan’s "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3." With these films, producers are betting big on star power, and they will clash head-on at the box office. Moreover, even after Diwali, two more high-profile films are set to release: Vicky Kaushal's "Chhava" and Allu Arjun's "Pushpa 2." Following these, Varun Dhawan’s "Baby Jaan" will also hit theaters.

In recent months, older films like "Laila Majnu," "Hum Aapke Hain Koun," "Taala," and "Khosla Ka Ghosla" have been re-released to capitalize on the empty cinema halls, and theater owners have indeed made some profits from these reruns.

Now, with Diwali approaching, film producers are going all out with their star-studded casts. "Singham Again" features a powerhouse ensemble, including Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Tiger Shroff, and Shweta Tiwari, directed by Rohit Shetty. On the other hand, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" boasts stars like Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan, Kartik Aaryan, Tripti Dimri, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz, and Sanjay Mishra, directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Bhushan Kumar.

After Diwali, "Pushpa 2" will also feature big names like Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Dhananjay, directed by Sukumar. This film has a budget that is double that of its predecessor. Vicky Kaushal's "Chhava" also features a stellar cast, including Rashmika Mandanna, Akshay Khanna, Ashutosh Rana, and Divya Dutta, directed by Laxman Utekar. Meanwhile, "Baby Jaan," featuring Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Vamika Gabbi, Jackie Shroff, and Rajpal Yadav, is produced by Atlee, Murad Khetani, and Jyoti Deshpande.

A Staggering 525 Crore at Stake

The budget for "Singham Again" is approximately ₹375 crore, while "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" has been made for around 150 crore. Despite selling digital and satellite rights, both films will need significant box office revenue to be profitable.

It's noteworthy that Ajay Devgn's earlier releases this year, "Maidaan" and "Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha," didn’t perform well. "Maidaan" managed to collect 54 crore in India and 71 crore worldwide against a budget of ₹100 crore, while "Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha" failed miserably, not even covering its 100 crore budget, marking one of Devgn’s weakest performances.

On the flip side, Kartik Aaryan’s "Chandu Champion" garnered ₹69 crore net and ₹81 crore gross in India, along with 15.5 crore in the international market, totaling around ₹96 crore worldwide. Given its budget of 70 to 80 crore, its performance has also been underwhelming.

Kartik Aaryan Weighs In

Kartik Aaryan commented on the clash between "Singham Again" and "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3," stating that Diwali is a big festival where both films can coexist. He pointed out that they belong to different genres, with "Singham Again" being an action film and "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" a horror-comedy. He views it as presenting two options for the audience.

Aaryan’s perspective makes sense. Both films cater to different tastes, allowing viewers to choose according to their preferences. They might even decide to watch both, as the subjects are entirely distinct.

Anticipation for Chhava and Pushpa 2

Following the clash of "Singham Again" and "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3," Vicky Kaushal’s "Chhava" and Allu Arjun’s "Pushpa 2" will also go head-to-head on December 6. With a budget of ₹500 crore, "Pushpa 2" is expected to be a significant player, while "Chhava," being a historical film, also has a substantial budget. It's anticipated that both films could benefit from the weekend crowd, potentially mitigating losses from their clash. However, if they don’t perform well, producers may face financial setbacks and be forced to pay actors from their own pockets.

Following this, Varun Dhawan’s "Baby Jaan" is also in the lineup for a December 25 release. In summary, both November and December will see significant financial stakes placed on these stars.

Is This a Wise Move?

But is it the right move? The recent release "Jigra" serves as a cautionary tale, having earned only 23.60 crore after eight days. Given that a big star like Alia Bhatt's film flopped, is it wise to bet on other big stars? Looking at the recent performances of some of these actors, which haven’t been impressive, only time will tell whether this gamble pays off.

By Priyanka Yadav