Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Bollywood stars to clash during festive season

Bollywood bad boy Salman Khan and reigning superstar Shah Rukh Khan will clash at the box-office for the second year in a row on the Indian autumn festival of lights known as Diwali.

"Saawariya" (Beloved) starring Salman Khan, known as Bollywood's bad boy for several scrapes with the law, and "Om Shanti Om" (Hindu names) featuring Shah Rukh are set for release on November 9 which marks Diwali, a national holiday.

Last year the Khans clashed on Diwali with Salman's "Jaan-E-Mann" (My Dear One) losing out at the box office to Shah Rukh's gangster movie "Don".

The love story "Saawariya" will be Hollywood studio Sony Pictures' maiden foray into India's Bollywood movie industry, a company official said last week.

The 41-year-old Salman is out on bail after being jailed for six days on August 25 after an Indian court rejected his appeal against a conviction for poaching.

Bollywood rarely releases major movies on the same day, but analysts feel that both films could fare well at the box office.

"Shah Rukh Khan has proved himself repeatedly at the box office and his fan following will surely see that his film is a hit," trade analyst Taran Adarsh said.

"Saawariya's director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has proved himself that he is a master in his art. So, I too feel that both films will succeed at the box office," Adarsh said.

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