MUMBAI: It is not too often that along with a Yash Raj movie releasing on a Friday, one gets to see any other big film release. However on 12 October, with the release of Yash Raj Films’ Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and T-Series’ Bhool Bhulaiyaa the film industry must anticipated fireworks after a month long lull at the Box Office in September.

While Laaga… boasts of biggies like Jaya Bachchan, Rani Mukherji, Konkona Sen Sharma, Anupam Kher and Abhishek Bachchan, Bhool Bhulaiyaa only had Akshay Kumar to pull in audiences. One star as opposed to so many, yet Bhool Bhulaiyaa‘s opening has been better than Laaga…

Bhool Bhulaiyaa‘s all India distributors, Balaji Motion Picture CEO Ramesh Sippy asserts, “With so many multiplexes having multiple screens, it is not so tough to accommodate two movies, even if it is with a Yash Raj film.”

Says an industry professional on condition of anonymity, “This time it was Yash Raj’s clash with Balaji because Laaga…’s appeal was confined to women alone, while Bhool Bhulaiyaa appealed to one and all.”

While neither of the movies are exceptional in content, Bhool Bhulaiyaa does has an edge over Laaga… Cinemax vice president marketing and programming Devang Sampat feels likewise. “In the festival season one often sees two big banners’ clash. Over the weekend both movies have done well, but Bhool Bhulaiyaa had a 10 per cent edge over Laaga… at Cinemax properties in terms of collections,” he says.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa, over and above being an Akshay Kumar – Priyadarshan film, the Hare Ram song picturised on Akshay Kumar worked as a ticket for the film’s good opening. Fun Cinemas programming head Bhumika Tiwari opines, “The song Hare Ram had so much buzz around it that it helped a great deal in drawing audiences to theatres. Additionally, Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan’s combination also works well. Bhool Bhulaiyaa has a wider appeal and is more of a mass film as opposed to Laaga, which is a women centric film.”

Although the song generated buzz and had many people swinging to its tune, it also led to vandalism at a few theatres in the country. Hence due to an intervention from the High Court, one scene in the song had to be cut from the end credit of the movie.

With no major releases this week, both these movies stand a chance to stay put at the box office. Inox vice president programming and distribution Saurabh Varma points out, “On an average, the opening of Bhool Bhulaiyaa was 75 per and that of Laaga was 55 per cent across Inox properties. With the ongoing cricket match, Durga pooja and the Navratri festival, one has to wait and watch the fate of these movies.”