When Deepika Padukone beat Ranbir Kapoor at box office

While “Om Shanti Om”, Deepika's first Hindi release, went on to become the highest-grossing Bollywood film at the time, surpassing “Dhoom 2”, “Saawariya” failed to make a mark at the box office.

Mumbai: Deepika Padukone’s “Om Shanti Om” clashed with Ranbir Kapoor’s debut film “Saawariya” at the box office on November 9, 2007.

Farah Khan’s directorial outperformed Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s romantic drama, with “Om Shanti Om” grossing Rs 152 crore worldwide, while “Saawariya” earned a modest Rs 39.22 crore. As both films mark 17 years since their release today, we recall how Indian cinema witnessed one of its biggest box office clashes, with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s film releasing alongside Ranbir and Sonam Kapoor’s “Saawariya.”

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Both films were highly anticipated for different reasons. “Om Shanti Om” benefited from the undeniable star power of SRK, while “Saawariya” attracted attention for being directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s 1848 short story “White Nights”, the film also marked the Bollywood debut of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor’s son, Ranbir.

While “Om Shanti Om”, Deepika’s first Hindi release, went on to become the highest-grossing Bollywood film at the time, surpassing “Dhoom 2”, “Saawariya” failed to make a mark at the box office.

Made on a budget of Rs. 40 crore, Deepika led romantic drama grossed Rs. 152 crore worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2007 and the highest-grossing Hindi film ever at the time of its release.

In contrast, “Saawariya” was a commercial failure. Upon its release, the film received mixed to negative reviews. While the soundtrack, production design, artistic vision, and performances were praised, the story, screenplay, and pacing faced significant criticism. Salman Khan made a cameo as Imaan Pirzada, and the film marked the last appearance of both Zohra Sehgal and Begum Para before their deaths.

Most recently, Deepika’s latest release “Singham Again” clashed with Kartik Aaryan’s horror-comedy “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.” Rohit Shetty’s cop drama has surpassed Anees Bazmee’s film at the ticket window. “Singham Again” has become Shetty’s 10th film to cross the Rs.100 crore mark, making it the fastest to achieve this milestone.