This Diwali will find the super-prolific Priyadarshan in a peculiar position at the box office. He will be competing against himself!

Speaking from Chennai, Priyan sighs loudly at the irony of it. "Can you believe it! Two of my Hindi films 'Kyun Ki' and 'Garam Masala' are being released on the same day this Diwali!"

Though he says a director competing against himself has never happened before, it has -- in 1992, David Dhawan's "Deewana Mastana" and "Mr & Mrs Khiladi" were released the same day.

"I'm not aware of this," Priyan is unfazed.

"All I know is my Friday twin-release is unlikely to be self-destructive for the simple reason that they are very different films. While 'Garam Masala' is an out-and-out comedy adapted from my Malayalam film 'Boeing Boeing', 'Kyun Ki' is an original script about the relationship between a doctor and her patient."

"It was originally inspired by Milos Foreman's 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'. But I'm told there's an element of an old Hindi film 'Khamoshi' (directed by Asit Sen) in 'Kyun Ki'. I'm looking for a DVD of that film."

"Kyun Ki" is Priyan's first non-comedy in Hindi since the successful "Viraasat". "And if 'Kyun Ki' doesn't work, I can always go back to my safe formula of comedy in Hindi," he chortles.

Pausing to ponder over the competition crisis this Diwali, Priyan observes, "I made 'Kyun Ki' and 'Garam Masala' in two different timeframes. They were never meant to be released together. If the producers have decided to release both this Diwali, what can I do? All I can say is I hope audiences find both equally exciting."

So, as a member of the audience, which should one see first? "I'd advise you to see 'Kyun Ki' first because it's a serious film. And then go for 'Garam Masala' because it's a laugh riot."