For a while now there's been a fair bit of dilly dallying over the release date of the Shah Rukh Khan-Rohit Shetty venture Chennai Express. Until now that is. The film's release date has finally been locked and will come on the day of Eid - 8 August 2013.

Traditionally, it's another Khan, Salman, who releases his film during this period but with his ambitious Sher Khan most likely to be shelved, and with Mental releasing in October, it's SRK who's hoping to capitalise on the public holiday that usually guarantees huge box office returns.

Apparently an impromptu meeting with the relevant stakeholders of the film - distributors, members of the production house, Rohit Shetty, Farah Khan, who has choreographed a song for the film, and music directors Vishal-Shekhar was held and the decision was only made yesterday (7 March 2013).

“Interesting thing about the conclave was, one did not know about the others who had been summoned,” said a source close to the actor to Mumbai Mirror.

SRK, broke the news to all present. “Get ready for Eid!” He is rumoured to have said amidst cheers.

Earlier Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Ram Leela was due to release over Eid but Bhansali backed out at the last minute to avert an Om Shanti Om-Saawariya like clash.

The only other film that is due to release over Eid is Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Again

It will be interesting to see whether this box office clash does in fact go ahead or whether one of the sides backs out.

Chennai Express also stars Deepika Padukone while Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Again features Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha.