When will 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3,' 'Singham Again' advance bookings begin
What's the story
The upcoming Diwali season will see a cinematic face-off between two of the most awaited films, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again.
Both movies are scheduled to release on November 1 and feature top Bollywood stars, including Ajay Devgn, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kartik Aaryan, and Triptii Dimri.
However, a screen-sharing dispute has emerged, as a result of which, neither film has opened advance bookings yet.
Ongoing discussions
Negotiations over screen-sharing continue
Speaking to ETimes, a source revealed that talks are still on about the screen-sharing issue.
"Rohit (Shetty) wants a 60-40 split, while Bhool Bhulaiyaa is advocating for a 50-50 share," the insider said.
Adding another layer of complexity, Nitin Datar, President of the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association, highlighted the challenges faced by single-screen theaters. He said as these halls can only run four shows per day, they don't usually divide shows.
Actor's perspective
Aaryan expressed his views on the clash
A recent Bollywood Hungama report said BB3 distributors have convinced 35 single-screen theaters in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to give them preference in a 3:2 ratio.
Aaryan, who leads Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, addressed the clash earlier.
He said, "Yes we have a clash with a big film that has so many stars, and I'm a fan of them."
"I hope both work, and both films releasing is a good thing for the audience as they have two options to watch."
Legal action
T-Series sought CCI's intervention in screen allocation dispute
Meanwhile, T-Series, the production house of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, has approached the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for help in settling the screen allocation row.
Reportedly, the company is seeking an equal distribution of screens between their film and Singham Again.
However, it is still unclear if this appeal will bear any fruit considering a similar request by Devgn in 2012 went unaddressed by the regulatory body.
So, as long as this tussle isn't settled, advance bookings won't begin.