Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; July 30, 2015)

Speculation is rife that Salman Khan is contemplating vacating the Eid 2016 slot to allow a solo release window to Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees and move Sultan ahead to Diwali. However, in the process, his film will have to compete with two other big budget projects — Karan Johar’s Aye Dil Hai Mushkil and Ajay Devgn’s Shivaay.

A source says, “Ajay and Karan have announced Diwali next year for the release of their respective films, which are yet to go on floors. But if Salman also picks the same date, it will be a problem for them. There is a possibility that at least one of them will change their date to avoid eating into each other’s business.”

Incidentally, all three films are expected to roll by the end of this year. Trade expert Taran Adarsh says, “As far as Sultan is concerned, there is no official statement from the makers about the release being pushed to Diwali. So, there is no point speculating. But even if two big films clash at the box-office, it is an unhealthy competition, although it is not impossible for them to co-exist. It will only end up dividing business, screens, shows and overall footfalls.”