Festivals and blockbuster Bollywood films seem to go hand in hand. So much so that producers of big-budget films scamper for release dates around occasions like Diwali, Christmas and Eid as much as a year-and-a-half in advance. Case in point, there is already one major film lined up for release around Christmas 2015.

Shah Rukh Khan’s films are no exception to this rule: his last film, Chennai Express, released during Eid last year. His next, directed by Farah Khan, is also slated for a Diwali release. However, ask SRK about this phenomenon, and that Diwali is seen as his preferred release date (Om Shanti Om, 2007, and Jab Tak Hai Jaan, 2012, released around Diwali) he rubbishes it, saying, “No, it’s not my slot. As a matter of fact, I’ve stopped releasing films on festivals. I always tell everyone, ‘When I release a film, that should be a festival.’”

The actor goes on to call the preference for festival release dates “stupid”, adding that, “Eid mein namaz padhte hain; Diwali mein puja karte hain (you read the namaz during Eid, and you pray during Diwali). [Now] it’s become all about releasing a film on a date… It’s so strange.”

SRK signs off by saying that if he had it his way, he’d “release a film the day it’s completed. Whoever wants to come, come, whoever doesn’t want to come, don’t come.”

Booked till Diwali 2016

Dussehra 2014     Bang Bang starring Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif.
Christmas 2014     PK starring Aamir Khan and Anushka Sharma
Eid 2015     Raees starring Shah Rukh Khan and Farhan Akhtar
Bajrangi Bhaijaan starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan
Diwali 2015     Prem Ratan Dhan Payo starring Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor
Christmas 2015     Bajirao Mastani starring Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone
Tamasha starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone
Diwali 2016     Shuddhi starring Salman Khan

(Release dates are tentative and subject to change)