'Singham Again' vs 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3': Who'll win box-office battle
What's the story
The upcoming Diwali weekend will see an intense box-office clash between two of the most awaited franchise films, Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.
While trade experts predict an opening of ₹40-45 crore for Singham Again, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is expected to rake in around ₹20-25 crore.
Both films will be screened across more than 6,000 cinema screens nationwide on November 1.
Screen share
Screen distribution and star power: 'Singham Again' leads
In the screen distribution, Singham Again has bagged 60% of the screens, giving it an advantage over Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, which will take the rest 40%.
The former is the newest addition in Rohit Shetty's cop universe and features a star-studded cast comprising Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff, and Arjun Kapoor.
Genre appeal
'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3' hopes to ride on horror-comedy wave
Anees Bazmee's Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 sees Kartik Aaryan returning as Rooh Baba.
The movie also brings back Vidya Balan from the original 2007 film and introduces Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri as new faces in the franchise.
After the success of horror-comedies Stree 2 and Munjya earlier this year, the makers of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 are hoping to ride the wave of audience interest in the genre.
Expert opinions
Industry experts weigh in on box office clash
Ashish Kanakia, CEO of MovieMax Cinema, is optimistic about strong footfall in theaters.
He told PTI, "Both films cater to large, loyal fanbases and bring unique flavors to the screen."
Bihar-based exhibitor Vishek Chauhan said Singham Again could draw bigger crowds at single screens due to its mass appeal.
Trade analyst Atul Mohan said both films could have done even better without competition.
Box office predictions
'Singham Again' and 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3' could surpass ₹1,000cr
Amit Sharma, MD of Miraj Entertainment Limited, said the two films will affect each other's business but added both films can cross ₹1,000 crore in lifetime collections.
Senior distributor and exhibitor Raj Bansal pegged the combined first-day collection of both films at ₹90 crore, reported PTI.
While BB3 was always set to release on Diwali, Singham Again was rescheduled from August 15, 2024.