So claim filmmakers as they knock off several minutes to release a new version of the big ticket Diwali pic, responding to distributors’ demands
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; October 31, 2016)

From today, it will be Shivaay reloaded. Ajay Devgn has trimmed his Diwali release. It is rare for a filmmaker to go back to the editing table after the film has hit theatres, but the actor-director-producer has done just that. The 2-hours-53-minutes running time of the action flick has been shortened by apparently at least 11 minutes, or even more.

Says a source, “After Shivaay’s initial shows, the distributors felt the length was a tad too long. They felt if he tightened it, there could be more shows packed in a day. On Saturday, it was conveyed to the makers with a request to edit it to enhance the viewing experience. Ajay Devgn agreed as it was for the benefit of cine- goers. He immediately got going and deleted some scenes.”

Though sources state a good 10-12 minutes have been lopped off, the makers claim the running time has been reduced reduced by only seven minutes.

Confirming that the film had been shortened, the actor’s spokesperson says, “As we have got a tremendous response from theatres across India, the distributors reached out to us and requested us to adjust the length to better suit the timings, which could lead to more number of shows. The film has been made more pacey, and all theaters will play the abridged version from today.”