Biggest box office clash of 2026 has ₹700 crore at stake; Ajay Devgn, Ranbir, Yash, Vicky Kaushal, Adivi Sesh collide
Four films, with a combined ₹700 crore riding on them, are releasing on the same weekend in March 2026, setting up a mouth-watering clash.
It’s still over two months to go for 2026 to arrive, but the film release calendar for the year is already crowding up. As filmmakers and stars scurry to ‘book’ festive release dates, it has created a crowded release weekend in March. Two festivals – Gudi Padwa and Eid – are coinciding, leading to four big films in three languages releasing pan-India on the same weekend. This ₹700 crore clash is one of the biggest talking points of 2026 already.
Gudi Padwa, an auspicious day for Marathi Hindus and Konkanis, falls on March 19 next year. Eid-ul-fitr also falls on the same weekend, either on March 19 or 20, subject to sighting of the moon. This gives the weekend a slightly longer festive off, ripe for big films. As a result, four big titles have announced their release on that weekend.
Dhamaal 4 and Love & War clash
From Bollywood, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ambitious love triangle Love and War will compete with Ajay Devgn’s Dhamaal 4. While Love and War has the stardom of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal behind it, Dhamaal 4 has the advantage of being a franchise film, complemented by Ajay’s reach in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Both films are scheduled to release on March 20. According to reports, the two films have a combined budget of ₹325 crore.
Yash's Toxic vs Adivi Sesh's Dacoit
Then there is Adivi Sesh punching above his weight with the bilingual actioner Dacoit, which also stars Mrunal Thakur and Anurag Kashyap. The Telugu-Hindi film will be competing for eyeballs not just with the Bollywood releases but also with Geethu Mohandas’ Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Both films are releasing on March 19.
Toxic, reportedly mounted on a massive ₹300 crore budget, features Yash in his first major role since the KGF films. The four films, diverse in genres and languages, but united in scale, have set up a mouth-watering showdown at the box office.
Will someone change the release date?
This has led to many in the industry wondering – who will blink first in this game of chicken? Will any film change its release date? Dacoit announced the release date just this week in a grand event in Mumbai. The makers of Toxic have also reiterated their wish to stick to the schedule. Sources indicate that the makers of both Hindi films are also confident about the viability of the festive weekend. However, reports have suggested that Love and War may be running behind schedule with a June release in sight. However, it hasn't been confirmed yet. It remains to be seen whether any changes will be made as the release window approaches.
For now, the date is locked, and the hype is real. All four films carry massive audience expectations, promising a rich blend of genres from romance and comedy to gritty thrillers and high-octane action spectacles.
