Bollywood's biggest box office clashes this year

You'd think there were enough Fridays in the year for all of Bollywood's major releases to avoid clashing with each other, but each year several films end up going head-to-head.

Here's a look at the ones that might be squaring off this year, unless better sense prevails:

Paan Singh Tomar and Kahaani

Release date: March 9

Tigmanshu Dhulia's Paan Singh Tomar went with much fanfare to the festival circuit in 2010, but a lukewarm reception ruined its plans for an Indian release.

The Irrfan Khan starrer finally releases this March, but Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani -- with by far the coolest trailer we've seen in a while -- threatens to steal its march. Plus, it has Vidya 'candonowrong' Balan. The smart money's got to be on Kahaani.

Release date: April 5 and 6

Fine, they aren't releasing on the exact same day, but both are vying for the first opening weekend of April.

There isn't much to separate two harebrained comedy sequels coming at the same time -- especially since we still haven't been able to figure how their originals were successful in the first place -- and so it's likely that audiences with either accept or reject both, with no clear winner.

Release date: April 27

Priyadarshan's next, Tezz, stars Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn and Kangna Ranaut, and it is one of those films that looks like it could be a success if not for Vidhu Vinod Chopra's much-delayed Ferrari Ki Sawaari starring Sharman Joshi, a project that apparently features a cameo by the one and only Sachin Tendulkar. We're thinking Chopra, producer extraordinnaire, will win this one.

Release Date: July 13

Ah, a three-way slug-fest. This should be interesting. Bol Bachchan is Rohit Shetty's remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Golmaal, Cocktail is Being Cyrus director Homi Adajania's next, featuring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, and Anurag Basu's Barfee stars Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D'Cruz.

The ill-advised Bol Bachchan seems the weakest horse of the lot, while you can count on young Ranbir to steal the spotlight away from Saif.

Release date: August 31

Shirish Kunder's Joker is a 3D film starring Akshay Kumar, while Vikram Bhatt's Raaz 3 is a 3D film starring Emraan Hashmi.

Three years ago, we'd have backed the Akshay film but now -- unless Rowdy Rathore can bring Kumar back to the top -- Hashmi seems likely to bring in more crowds. And his Jacqueline is prettier than Kumar's heroine, Sonakshi Sinha.

Release date: Late November

Dates for these two haven't yet been announced and so we might see a clash averted, but either way Ajay Devgan's big comedy Son Of Sardar will face-off against Shah Rukh Khan's next, a big romance directed by Yash Chopra and starring Katrina Kaif.

The Devgan-Shetty combo hasn't gone wrong yet, but an old-world romance with SRK, directed by Yashji? You gotta support the love story.

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