The year 2026 is already making headlines for what could be the biggest box office clash in Indian cinema, with four major films worth ₹700 crore releasing on the same weekend in March.
Bollywood Clash: “Love and War” vs “Dhamaal 4”
From Bollywood, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grand romantic drama Love and War will release alongside Ajay Devgn’s comedy sequel Dhamaal 4 on March 20.
Love and War stars Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, and is said to be one of Bhansali’s most ambitious projects.
Dhamaal 4 continues the hit comedy franchise led by Ajay Devgn, which enjoys strong popularity, especially in smaller cities.
Together, these two films have a combined budget of around ₹325 crore, making the clash one of the costliest in Bollywood history.
Southern Powerhouses: “Toxic” vs “Dacoit”
Adding to the excitement, two South Indian films will release a day earlier on March 19:
Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, directed by Geethu Mohandas, stars Yash in his first major role since KGF. It reportedly has a ₹300 crore budget and promises to be a visual spectacle.
Dacoit, a bilingual action thriller starring Adivi Sesh, Mrunal Thakur, and Anurag Kashyap, will release in both Telugu and Hindi.
Who Will Change the Date?
With so many big films releasing together, industry insiders are wondering if any filmmakers will shift their release dates to avoid splitting audiences.
So far, none of the teams have shown signs of backing out:
Dacoit recently confirmed its date in a grand Mumbai event.
The makers of Toxic have also said they will stick to the same schedule.
However, some reports suggest Love and War might face production delays and could move to June 2026, though this hasn’t been confirmed.
A Festive Battle to Remember
For now, all four films are set for release on the same weekend, creating a pan-India cinematic clash featuring romance, action, comedy, and drama.
If all goes as planned, the March 2026 weekend will see Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Yash, and Adivi Sesh competing for the audience’s attention — and box office supremacy — in what’s already being called the ₹700 crore showdown of the year.
