Shahrukh vs Ajay: Why Bollywood can’t afford a Diwali clash!

Let’s get straight to the point. Bollywood just can’t afford two big films. Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow. It is as simple as that. While the media is going berserk ‘worrying’ about whether Shahrukh Khan’s yet untitled film with Yash Chopra would indeed have competition from Ajay Devgn’s ‘Son of Sardar’ this Diwali, it seems nothing more than just a fantastical feeling to actually foresee this happening.

No, the clash is definitely not happening and if one would have to ask Shahrukh or Ajay about it, they would say the same. Well, under their breath at least if not out in open.

For all the claims of ‘two films can survive if released on the same day’ and ‘history has proven that as well’, let’s challenge the very thought process. Are we talking about ‘Dil’ and ‘Ghayal’? Well, that was 20 years back. Is ‘Gadar’ vs ‘Lagaan’ giving us that comfort feel? Please, Sunny Deol starrer did triple the business of Aamir Khan’s Oscar nominated masterpiece. As for those talking about the most recent clashes, ‘Taare Zameen Par’ pretty much got the scare of it’s life before finding it’s footing after a clash with Akshay Kumar’s ‘Welcome’. Today, even Aamir would say it was avoidable.

Son of Sardar vs SRK Yash Chopra

A clash was always an unwelcome situation. It stays on the same even today despite all the talks of multiplexes taking care of the collections. It doesn’t quite happen that way. Every producer, distributor, exhibitor, actor pines for an open week. Same holds good for audience as well. Unlike hardcore movie buffs or those from within the industry, no one watches two films over a single weekend. This means that after the first choice has been made, in all likelihood the ‘second choice’ would be viewed on a pirated DVD at home.

If the clash does take place, one movie would be the second choice this Diwali and eventually end up losing that revenue that could have come theatrically.

In case of Shahrukh and Ajay films, one of them will always be a second choice for many out there. It won’t be a straight forward choice, like say with an Akshay Kumar and an Akshaye Khanna solo starrer, where the choice (for majority) is obvious. We are talking about two superstars who have found a market of their own.

If there is a clash, there would be blood. And Bollywood can’t afford bloodshed.

My two cents on the situation? Let the film with a bigger (and more respected and revered) director occupy the Diwali slot. The (relatively) younger ones (like Shahrukh and Ajay) do have their chance to fight it out in the future. However, Yashji may or may not make a film for many more years to come.

The legend deserves that space, attention and respect at the least. He truly does!

Do vote and tell us what you think

– Joginder Tuteja

What do you want to see this Diwali?

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159 Comments

  • I dont want ajay to release sos on diwali.. SRK has always won on diwali. It pains me how a good film like jaanemaan with 2 superstars Salman and Akshay lost to SRK’s not so good film Don at the Box Office. Please Ajay dont dare to release your film with Yash Chopra-SRK’s film

  • Srk should avoid the clash and postpone his film otherwise ..poor collections than Ra1 or even don 2

  • I have a feeling that this yash chopra film is going to be a Masterpiece for SRK. All the best to him. All his die-hard fans deserve a Memorable Romantic Film from Shahrukh-Yashji Jodi! :)

  • After Rascals, i have started Hating Ajay Devgn, also i don’t like Romantic genre so i will skip BOTH.

  • SRK+ katrina+ anushka + yash chopra + a r rahman+ gulzar+ romance . A film cant get bigger than this. GUARANTEED BLOCKBUSTER OF THE YEAR

  • Shahrukh Khan is a Legend. I love him and I dont like Ajay Devgan. Find him an arrogant person. Wrong decision of my fav Kajol to marry him :(

  • @piuli srk katrina yash chopra Ar rahman gulzar romance=salman khan.yes one man army thats the power of king salman understand

  • SRK & Katrina… I am dying to see this Diwali film… Katty I love you so much.. First Day First Show For Sure…muaahhhh

  • @jay Keep your mouth shut. Srk haar saal diwali mein sabka chatni banaya. He is the King. Dont forget what happened to salman in diwali with janeman, sawaria, main aur mrs. Khanna. Salman is a Flopking & a joker. Dont compare him with the legend named Shahrukh khan. He rules our heart. We girls pray to God to get a husband like him. Love you Srk <3

  • hi @indicine , what is this article about? I was wishing to read good article from your site but this is not even close to that.

    When king khan is in the race , ajay is even lower than AKSHAY KHANNA infront of srk.

    Do you forget that ajay have duds like tezz & rascall to his credit when you calling him a megastar like srk who didn’t make any flop movie since 2005??!!

    Do you forget that srk defeated bigger stars like salman+akshay when they tried to compete with him??!!

    In my opinion the first option in your poll is totally wrong coz as we know srk leaves kings size live and what ever happened he will not change his date of release for some like ajay.

    Ajay must not respect only YASHJI but he must also be afraid by king of b-town , he must think what verdict his film will get (flop , disaster , dude or new ones which will be inventing in this DIWALI)

    Ajay us good actor and i don’t hate him , i always watch his movies but clashing with shah rukh khan is bigger & larger than hus ability.

    All in all , since 1995 srk + diwali= blockbuster.

  • @Husseinou which was the last SRK blockbuster on Diwali? I dont even remember? Ra One was media created HIT.. Only OSO i guess, but that was about 5 years back?

    • Any comments with abuses or name-calling will be deleted. Don’t bother posting! If you don’t agree, your free to argue but be sensible with what you say.

  • Arre people stop this fan wars… Personally am tired to watch these no-brainers viz. son of sardar. Trailer looks crapp…ewww.. So I will be going for the sensible yash chopra film!

  • who will watch ajay film after duds like rascals & tezz? My vote for SRK’s untitled next. Ajay dont make a fool of yourself by releasing film with srk’s film. Lolll

  • SRK ROCKS!!! Over the years SRK’s film has defeated so many films of big stars.. Ajay toh bada star bhi nahi hain.. Yeah I want this clash to happen.. As someone recently posted in Fb: Ajay ka kaala mooh aur kaala ho jayega.. ROFL ROFL ROFL

  • I will rather watch SOS than watch mindless srk romantic film with girls old enough to be his daughter age

  • Y can’t both of dem clash.. Wat is bad dere? Pls I tink it is beta we see d clash nd c wat will happen.. Films can’t kip avoiding demselves bcos of one film or d oda… If one shud postpone pls wen do u want it 2 release.. Is it nxt year wen films are jampacked.. Pls release them 2geda

  • Good to read how aamir has lost to both sunny deol and akshay kumar before…. Now King Kumar talaash ka laash banayega with his khiladi786!!

  • SRK films are synonyms of Diwali. Diwali feels incomplete without a shahrukh khan film. Waiting eagerly for his next :-)

  • Well thank you mr joginder tuteja for this article..i have a harsh feeling that ajay devgn’s Son of sardaar get postponed because yash raj films always been the strongest among the production houses but i have a question to you..WHY EVERY SINGLE CRITIC OR JOURNALIST IS ASKING AJAY TO POSTPONE HIS FILM ?? Yash chopra ji no doubt a huge legend of hindi film and everyone of us respect him but at the end of the day ENTERTAINMENT is d main factor..what wl happen if SOS entertains more than yash ji’s film ? And ajay devgn is really performing better this days..if his film failed at diwali nothing wl happen but if it do better than yash ji’s then it wl b huge blow for yash ji..ARE YOU SCARED OF IT i.e. More or less u r trying to save yash ji’s image and trying to give him d best slot alone..is it ??

  • Ajay u better postpone ur movie, there will be no effect on SRK’s next even if u put amir , Sallu or any mega superstar in ur movie.

    Ab DON ko koi nahi rok sakta ha ha ha!!!!

  • @Soudip ur comments in this site give me a feeling that u r scared of srk’s success.. Your hero hrithik is a dear friend of srk and idolises him as big brother.. Respect that yaar!

  • NO ONE CAN COMPETE WITH SRK IN BOLLYWOOD!!! He is The Ultimate King.. I Respect Him A Lot.. Son of Sardaar is Already a flop film in front of superstar shahrukh’s film!! Diwali mein Dhamaka hoga! LONG LIVE SRK.

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