Exclusive: Anees Bazmee on the big Diwali clash between Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again: 'I believe both will be good'

Exclusive - Anees Bazmee is directing Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and hopes the clash with Singham Again is healthy.

Bollywood is gearing up for the BIG clash this Diwali as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again hit theaters on the same day, November 1. Fans and makers are excited about both the movies as it is the festive season and the films are likely to work wonders at the box office.

Money Control spoke exclusively with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 director Aneez Bazmee, and we asked him about the Big Clash, to which he said both Rohit (Shetty) and Ajay (Devgn) are his old friends and wished them all the best.

Anees further said that he is optimistic that both the movies—Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again—will work well at the box office and stressed the fact that in the past too many big clashes have emerged as winners at the box office.

"I feel that Diwali is such a big festival that two films can easily coexist. In the past, two films have released together and have been successful. I am a very optimistic person, and I personally feel that both films will succeed and both will be hits. There is a lot of curiosity among people regarding both films. It has been quite some time since such good films have come out, so I don't think there will be any major hit film released at this time. People are hungry for good content, and I think everyone should watch both films. I believe both will be good. All the people involved in these films, whether it’s Rohit, Ajay, or Akshay, are my friends, so all my wishes are with them. I will definitely go to watch the films, and I pray that both films succeed," he told Money Control.

Anees Bazmee is reuniting with Kartik Aaryan for the second time after Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, which was a massive hit in 2022. This time Kartik will be romancing Tripti Dimri and will also see Vidya Balan reprise the role of iconic Manjulika on screen. Joining the trio on screen is the evergreen actress Madhuri Dixit.

Talking further about the clash between Ajay Devgn's Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and whether he feels the pressure, Anees said he feels 'a lot of pressure during the initial days' but then as the work progresses, it eases out.

Feel the pressure 

"I’ll be very honest, the pressure isn't just about Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Whenever I make a film, I feel a lot of pressure. Initially, the public expects something from you, and I expect something from myself as a maker and writer. After writing 40–50 films and directing 20 films, I expect that certain things should happen. So when I expect this from myself and the public has expectations, there’s nothing wrong with that. There is a lot of expectation, which requires hard work both in making this film and in all the previous films. There has always been pressure, but I only take it up to a limit at the initial stage until my writing is complete. After that, I know that things are in my control or in my hands. If the writing is good, then you need to make sure the performances are right, the sets are appropriate, the camerawork is what you want, the color combinations are suitable, the tone is right, and the background music is effective," he said.

"I work hard, and everyone working with me also puts in a lot of effort and enjoys the process. They know that this film will require a bit more hard work, and they’re willing to do it. I believe that every person who loves their work is always ready to put in a little extra effort, and that is also my job—tto create a belief in their minds that until the picture is released, Bhool Bhulaiyaa is a special film," he added.

When asked what people can expect from the movie as it has both Vidya and Madhuri sharing screen space for the first time, Anees said: "Both (Manjulika) Vidya Balan and Madhuri Ji are coming together. People should expect something really big and amazing, and I believe we will be successful in providing that. We will all enjoy it very much. These two are very talented actors and very hardworking, so the work they have done is exceptional, and I think we have enjoyed it a lot. I believe the audience will enjoy it just as much."

Vidya Balan was seen in the first installment of Bhool Bhulaiyaa, which was directed by Priyadarshan. The film, which was released in 2007, was a psychological thriller, and Vidya Balan shared screen space with Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal. The movie has achieved cult status now.

Ease of working with talented actors 

Anees Bazmee also spoke about the ease with which the actresses worked and that he didn't have to instruct anybody as they are such 'talented actors'.

"They are such good actors that they don't need a lot of input. My input was that when I narrated the story, I could see from their expressions how intensely I was narrating it. After the narration, she was very happy and hugged me, saying, "Anees Bhai, this is really good; it will be a lot of fun." I could see that happiness on her face. I think, during the film's shooting, those things will naturally come out because they are observant people and good actors. The intensity and the way I narrated the story must have stayed in their minds and hearts, so I didn't have to say much on set. I prefer to give fewer instructions to my actors because I feel they should contribute something of their own. Where I think it's necessary, I am always there to guide them and tell them what needs to be done. I believe we have worked with a lot of joy because, even in the first film, the love they received was significant. I feel this love will continue, and people will like it even more. She has done very well," he said.

Anees Bazmee has directed hit films like No Entry (2005), Welcome (2007), Singh Is Kinng (2008), Ready (2011), and Welcome Back (2015).

When asked about his experience working with Kartik Aaryan and having the actor change over the years from the time he directed him for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 in 2022 to now, Anees said, 'I don't feel any difference at all.'

"No, I don’t see any difference. I don’t feel any difference at all. If something were to happen, my observation is not on those things. My observation is only on the work. If the work is going well, I am in a very good mood. If the work isn't going well, I start to feel anxious because I do everything for films. So, there isn’t anything like that for me. In the first film, people loved the work; it felt fresh, and many liked it. I believe the same will happen now; I don’t think Kartik has ever done this kind of work before. If you can create that kind of synergy with an actor, and if you are able to achieve what you are looking for, then problems don’t arise," he told us.

Tripti Dimri is fantastic

Talking about Tripti Dimri, Anees said he was the only one who stuck to the casting of the Animal actress and that he wanted her to star in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. We asked him why he didn't continue with the hit jodi of Kartik and Kiara Advani (Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2). Anees said the story was different and he wanted to present it this time in a different way.

"Tripti is fantastic. It's a different story, and I wanted to do it in a different way. Tripti is such a nice and beautiful actress; she is a good girl, and it is a lot of fun to work with her. I personally feel she is a good actress and does excellent work. After writing this film, I had several actresses in mind, but when I thought of Tripti, it just clicked for me. I believe I was right in my choice, and everyone involved has told me that I made the right decision by choosing Tripti," he said.

Kartik and Tripti have been paired for the first time on screen, and their chemistry is being loved by all.

Talking about Anees Bazmee, post-Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, he will be directing the sequel to his hit movie 'No Entry.'

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 will release on November 1 and will clash with Singham Again, directed by Rohit Shetty.