Anshul Garg on Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat vs Thamma box office clash

Film producer Anshul Garg has spoken candidly about his film Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat going up against Thamma at the box office, acknowledging that he was aware his movie would secure fewer screens. The clash, which took place during the festive Diwali weekend, saw both films releasing on October 21 across India.

In a recent interview with News 18, Anshul revealed that while he anticipated a smaller screen count, he wasn’t concerned about it negatively affecting the film's overall performance. “I knew we would get fewer screens. Maddock Films is a very big company and PVR is distributing their film. So we were mentally prepared for it,” he said.

Screen Distribution and Box Office Expectations

Anshul cited past box office clashes during Diwali to support his point. “Last year also Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa clashed and they earned around ₹70 crore each. So I knew the audience would show up for both films.”

When discussing the screen share, he added that they initially got 30% of the screens, compared to Thamma’s 70%. However, as demand increased, the ratio moved closer to 45-55. “The capacity we needed was sufficient and it actually worked for us. Since we had fewer screenings, theatres were housefull. We also got more shows later due to this positive response.”

The producer further noted that during festive seasons like Diwali, audiences are more willing to travel for movies. “So if one has to travel 2 KMs extra to watch my movie, they’ll do it,” he said confidently.

About the Two Films

Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, was directed by Milap Milan Zaveri. The film is produced by Dinesh Jain and Anshul Garg, with Raghav Sharma as co-producer.

On the other hand, Thamma marks the fifth installment in Maddock Films’ Horror Comedy Universe. The film stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Paresh Rawal, and has been helmed by Aditya Sarpotdar.

Box Office Numbers So Far

As of now, Thamma has taken a strong lead, collecting ₹111.40 crore nett in India. In comparison, Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat has managed to garner ₹57.65 crore nett. Despite the gap, Anshul remains satisfied with the film’s performance, especially considering the competitive circumstances.

With both films continuing their theatrical run, producers and analysts are now watching closely to see how the numbers trend in the coming weeks.