October 30, 2024: In one of Bollywood’s most anticipated box office showdowns, Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 are going head-to-head with nearly equal advance booking numbers. Both films, releasing this Friday, November 1, are set to light up the Diwali weekend with massive audiences, as advance bookings reveal a fierce contest between Ajay Devgn’s action-packed Singham Again and Kartik Aaryan’s horror-comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.
Advance Booking Numbers Surge
According to recent trade reports, advance sales for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, directed by Anees Bazmee, have soared with 63,317 tickets sold across 4,552 shows, generating approximately ₹4.74 crore in advance bookings. The film has particularly strong pre-sales in Gujarat, where 50 out of 965 shows are already nearly sold out. The Kartik Aaryan-led movie aims for a ₹25 crore opening day, banking on its wide appeal and favorable advance booking response.
Meanwhile, Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again is close behind. Although it launched advance bookings slightly later, the Ajay Devgn-led film has sold 25,638 tickets across 4,041 shows, with early earnings of around ₹2.54 crore in advance sales. Maharashtra, traditionally a strong market for Shetty’s films, has shown robust support with 987 shows, signaling a promising Diwali opening for the cop drama.
Predicted Box Office Openings – 4500 Shows Sold Out: Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Takes Lead Over Singham Again in Diwali Booking Race
Trade analysts predict that Singham Again will likely open between ₹35 crore and ₹40 crore on day one, while Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 could see an opening between ₹23 crore and ₹25 crore. The nationwide screen allocation is also tipped in Singham Again’s favor, with a screen ratio of 60:40 over Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. However, with both films appealing to distinct audience segments—Singham Again catering to action lovers and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 drawing in fans of horror-comedy—the final turnout remains unpredictable.
Clash of Stars and Genres
Adding to the excitement, Singham Again boasts a powerhouse cast, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, and cameo appearances by Salman Khan and Tiger Shroff. On the other hand, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 features Kartik Aaryan, Vidya Balan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri, making it an enticing blend of horror and humor.
With less than 48 hours left until these two Diwali releases hit theaters, advance booking trends suggest a blockbuster clash at the box office, with audiences eagerly awaiting to see which film emerges as the Diwali favorite.