After a three-way box-office clash during the Independence Day window, Bollywood will see two more films locking horns this Diwali—Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again and Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Recently, mid-day reported that the horror comedy’s producer Bhushan Kumar had met Devgn and director Rohit Shetty to discuss the possibility of averting the clash (Dual dum or duel on Diwali? Sep 11). The clash poses a dilemma for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 director Anees Bazmee, whose association with Devgn and Akshay Kumar—who has a special appearance in Singham Again—goes back decades. He has collaborated with Devgn on Hulchul (1995), Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998) and Deewangee (2002), and with Kumar on Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Welcome (2007), Singh Is Kinng (2008) and Thank You (2011).

Did Bazmee discuss the issue with Devgn? “Why should I talk to him? It’s a business decision between producers, and I am just the director. Singham Again’s team is insisting on a Diwali release. Clashes are never a good idea. I know that we had announced Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’s release date a year in advance, but what can we do? I’ve always maintained that a good film doesn’t need a date to work. I’m the last person to get involved in box-office numbers and release dates. These are decisions and numbers calculated by producers and distributors.”

This time around, the stakes are higher, given the films’ star weight. While the cop caper has a stellar cast of Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Tiger Shroff and Arjun Kapoor, with Akshay Kumar and Ranveer Singh making special appearances, the horror comedy sees Aaryan alongside Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Triptii Dimri. The clash can’t be good news for the two movies, which have the potential to set the cash registers ringing.

Bazmee says, “I have zero knowledge about the business. In school, I was weak in Math, and while making films too, I’ve never understood box-office collections. I am a creative person. All I want to do is make a good film that entertains people, and it should earn enough money.”

The director is confident of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and unruffled by the clash. “Both films are looking good, so both can do well at the box-office. Ajay, Akshay and Rohit are dear friends. They know Anees bhai will never call us to change the movie’s date. I’ve never done that. Each film has its own destiny.”