Farah Khan’s second directorial venture Om Shanti Om starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in pivotal roles and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus ‘Saawariya’ marking the debut of two Kapoors, Ranbir kapoor son of Rishi Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor daughter of Anil Kapoor, are slated for release on the 9th of November, 2007.

Needless to say, the fate of both films hangs in the balance, as there’s a tremendous amount of money riding on them. However, sources reveal that Khan and Bhansali are currently in talks to sort out a clash at the box office.

“It wouldn’t work in our favour if Saawariyan releases at the same time as Om Shanti Om. Shah Rukh’s film has some big names attached to it, while Saawariyan stars two newcomers,”says a source from Bhansali’s office.

Clash clouds

When asked if OSO has been postponed to accommodate Bhansali’s film, Shah Rukh Khan says, “No, we’re slated for a November 9 release.

Sanjay hasn’t asked me to postpone my film’s release, but I will talk to him once I return from London and try to sort this out. I don’t want any film to suffer.”

Meanwhile, Bhansali says, “Sony, which is distributing Saawariyan, had announced the film’s release date at a press conference in Mumbai a year ago. As for SRK and OSO, we work in the same industry and will naturally want to avoid a clash.”

Bhansali adds that he’s spoken to Shah Rukh over the phone and says he’ll return from London in a few days to see what can be done.

“It was wonderful and positive to speak to Shah Rukh. He said he’d try his level best to avoid a clash at the box office.

I was surprised that he was open to discussion on this issue, but then again, we work in the same industry and have to survive together,”he says.