Diwali Screen Clash: Thamma vs Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat – Who Will Rule the Cinemas?

The festive season is just around the corner and the Diwali releases Thamma and Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat are already creating a buzz. As expected with any big Bollywood clash, the fight for screens has begun in full force. CineInfinity has learned that the first round of this cinematic showdown is already underway.

Thamma  starring Ayushmann Khurana and Rashmika Mandanna is being distributed in Mumbai by August Entertainment in partnership with PVR Inox Pictures. According to insiders, team has sent detailed instructions to theatres about screen allocations. Their demand? Complete dominance in single-screen and two-screen cinemas, along with 12 shows in three screen multiplexes (covering nearly all screens) and a gradual increase for larger multiplexes:

+-------+----------------+------------+
| S.No  | No. of Screens | No. of Shows |
+-------+----------------+------------+
| 1     | 4              | 15          |
| 2     | 5              | 18          |
| 3     | 6              | 21          |
| 4     | 7              | 24          |
| 5     | 8              | 27          |
| 6     | 9              | 30          |
| 7     | 10             | 33          |
+-------+----------------+------------+
 

The goal is clear: maximum visibility for Thamma across Mumbai’s cinema landscape.

However, exhibitors are treading carefully. One insider said, “Thamma looks exciting and we definitely want to showcase it. But single-screen cinemas should also get Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat. That film has strong potential in smaller theatres. Plus, Marathi film Premachi Goshta 2 and Gujarati film Chaniya Toli are also releasing this Diwali. Some cinemas may want to balance their shows.”

Another exhibitor added, “August Entertainment’s request applies only to Non-PVR-INOX, Cinepolis theatres. It should ideally be uniform for everyone.”

A trade expert weighed in, recalling the Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 vs Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari clash. “Back then, the makers of Kantara demanded nearly 100% shows in single, two, and three-screen theatres. Even larger multiplexes were asked to allocate 80–90% of screens. Compared to that, the Thamma distributors are relatively reasonable.”

It’s important to note that this type of screen-hogging practice is becoming common whenever two big releases clash, and it’s not really fair. Every film deserves a fair chance. Once a movie hits theatres, audiences naturally decide on basis of content what works. if a film doesn’t connect, its not of shows reduce automatically and better performing content takes over.

It’s not just Bollywood dominating the Diwali screen wars. Two promising regional films one Gujarati and one Marathi  are also gearing up for festive release. Both are reportedly requesting screens according to their local demand and have strong hopes of attracting regional audiences. This adds another layer of competition, making this Diwali a truly diverse cinematic feast.

With multiple films vying for screens, exhibitors will need to strike a careful balance, ensuring audiences get a mix of Bollywood and regional hits. 

Stay tuned with CineInfinity for more updates on Diwali Clash.