Meena Iyer (DNA; January 7, 2018)

Will Queen Padmavati arrive during the Republic Day weekend or on February 9? Over the last few days, this has been the only topic of conversation between important members of the film trade.

The five amendments, which the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had suggested to the makers of Padmavat, have been made. The period drama has been resubmitted to the CBFC and once the Censor Certificate (CC) is issued, the studio bankrolling the project is expected to announce the release date.

But even before the first footsteps of the Rajasthani Queen, Padmavati (Deepika Padukone), her royal husband, Raja Rawal Ratan Singh (Shahid Kapoor), and their nemesis Allaudin Khilji (Ranveer Singh) are heard, the Hindi film industry has already started feeling the tremors. Producer-exhibitor N R Pachisia says, “The trade will make place for Padmavat on whichever date it arrives. It is an eagerly-awaited movie and there is tremendous excitement around it.” Pachisia adds, “However, Padmavat and Pad Man are films of two different genres and Akshay Kumar, who is currently on top, needn’t worry too much about another film coming on that date.”

HOT DEBATE RAGES ON
Currently, it is also being debated in trade circles that the Republic Day weekend could be an ideal date for Padmavat. An insider adds, “With that being the Republic Day weekend, the security in and around the nation is at its highest. It’s recommended that a controversial film like Padmavat chooses this weekend because the country is on high alert and chances are that any untoward incidents can be kept in check. Also, 1,000 flights are likely to be cancelled around that period for the Republic Day parade rehearsal, so the public is bound to have time on their hands to watch films releasing during that weekend.”

PAD MAN WILL NOT MOVE, COME WHAT MAY
In the meantime, Pad Man is neither giving in to any kind of release pressure nor are there any signs of jitters. Akshay is super-confident of his social drama. In fact, the actor has advanced its release date from January 26 to January 25.

This R Balki directorial, which is evoking fantastic word-of-mouth, is expected to have a fabulous run at the multiplexes. A trade observer says, “Pad Man will not only get over 3,000 screens but also a fair share of single screens across India. If the historical is also released around the same time, it won’t be an issue for this film.’’

AND THEN THE FINAL FACTOR...
Also, even though Padmavat crosses the Censor hurdle, it needs to sort out the issue of ‘the ban’ in some states in India. While one can debate about whether Padmavat and Pad Man will clash or not till the cows come home, the fact of the matter is that as of now, the former is hanging over people’s heads like the Sword of Damocles.

Whenever this historical hits the marquee, tremors will be felt in the industry as well as in the society. If it releases on January 26, it will clash with Aiyaary that is slated to open in cinemas on the same day. Till the time of going to press, the makers of Aiyaary hadn’t changed its release date. Meanwhile, if Padmavat arrives on February 9, it will have a domino effect on movies such as Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety and Pari.