Diwali Clash: Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Or Singham Again, Which Film Dominates Advance Sales?

October 31, 2024: Bollywood gears up for an electrifying box office clash as two high-profile releases, Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again and Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, go head-to-head on November 1. Both films are competing for audience attention and, perhaps more crucially, for prime screen space in theaters across the country.

Advance bookings for the films have started, though they rolled out on a staggered basis, initially in select PVR-INOX and independent properties. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 managed to gain a head start in ticket sales. As of 11 am on October 29, the horror-comedy sequel had sold 29,315 tickets, totaling Rs 75.62 lakh in gross revenue.

Meanwhile, Singham Again, which opened pre-sales a day later, quickly caught up, selling 3,177 tickets worth Rs 11.72 lakh in just a few hours. These early figures reflect only block bookings and tracked screenings, with more screens anticipated to boost sales further.

The battle over screen allocation has been intense, causing a delay in the presale launch compared to usual Bollywood releases. Current plans indicate that Singham Again will have a slight advantage, securing 56% of screen allocation, while Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 holds 46%. This division might shift as more premium and independent screens open up in the days leading up to release.

Both franchises enjoy dedicated fan followings and have shown strong performances in previous releases. Singham Again promises a star-studded cast, including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, and Tiger Shroff, under Rohit Shetty’s direction. In contrast, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 brings back the charm of Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri, directed by Anees Bazmee. Industry experts predict that ticket sales will surge closer to the release date, potentially placing both films among the top pre-sale successes of the year.

As fans gear up for this festive face-off, the box office race between these two powerhouse franchises is set to light up the Diwali season with intense competition and excitement.