Sanjay Dutt: Don't want my comeback film to be pitted against Aamir's

Aamir Khan and Sanjay Dutt

Aamir Khan and Sanjay Dutt

Every time two big-ticket films clash at the box office, it sends a shiver down the trade's spine as they dread serious division of business. This year has already seen a major face-off - Hrithik Roshan's Kaabil and Shah Rukh Khan's Raees - with the fight between both camps getting messy in the run-up to release.

Taking a cue from that, Sanjay Dutt has requested the producers of his comeback film, Bhoomi, to postpone it and avoid a clash with close friend Aamir Khan's Secret Superstar. Bhoomi was slated to hit screens on August 4 along with Aamir's production venture that is written and directed by his former manager Advait Chauhan.

Says a source, "Dutt doesn't want to clash with Aamir since they go a long way. We have seen that no matter how professional people act, box office contests eventually get dirty, even between close friends [hinting at the ping-pong comments between Hrithik-Rakesh Roshan and SRK-Ritesh Sidhwani]. Moreover, Aamir's is a small budget film, riding solely on content. A star clash could affect it."

Keeping that in mind, Dutt has requested co-producers Sandeep Singh and Bhushan Kumar to hold the film for another Friday. Dutt tells us, "I know the kind of hard work and effort that goes into making a film. I believe, after all the work being put in, it can't be reduced to a clash at the box office. Aamir is a dear friend and I wouldn't want my comeback film to be pitted against his. In this industry, we should all make an effort to help each other."