I don't want any film to suffer," Shahrukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan will work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali to prevent a fratricidal clash of their respective films, Om Shanti Om and Saawariya , both of which are slotted to hit theatres on November 9, 2007 during the Diwali festivities.

Both the films are big budget productions and a simultaneous release is bound to be detrimental to their box office collections since it will force audience to choose between the two.

The release date for Saawariya , Sony Pictures Entertainment's first Bollywood production, was announced last year. Later Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment announced a clashing date for Om Shanti Om.

Khan, who is currently vacationing in London with his family, has worked with Bhansali earlier in the highly successful 2002 remake of Bimal Roy's classic Devdas (1955)

Bhansali has already discussed the release date clash with Khan, who has an open mind on the issue.

"We are slated for a November 9 release. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has not asked me to postpone my film's release, but I will talk to him once I return from London and try to sort this out. I don't want any film to suffer," Khan says.

Saawariya has Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee in the lead and introduces newcomers Ranbir Kapoor (Son of Rishi Kapoor) and Sonam Kapoor (Daughter of Anil Kapoor). Rani plays a sex worker in the film, a role that was first offered to Aishwarya who declined because of the presence of Salman in the cast.

Farah Khan directed Om Shanti Om has Shah Rukh Khan and newcomer Deepika Padukone in the lead. Its title song features guest appearances by over 30 leading Bollywood stars.