Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 8, 2018)

With the Censor Board paving the way for the release of Padmavati, albeit with a few restrictions that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has yet to give his nod to, it appears that the historical drama may hit screens later this month. While an official announcement is awaited, buzz in trade circles suggest Padmavati — recommended to be renamed Padmavat by the CBFC — might enter theatres on the Republic Day weekend.

While Akshay Kumar has already announced that his social hygiene biographical film Pad Man will hit the marquee on January 25, trade analysts are celebrating the speculated release of Bhansali’s magnum opus on the holiday weekend.

Trade analyst Komal Nahta says, “Padmavati will enjoy a historic start even if it releases on a Monday instead of a Friday since there is immense curiosity about the film anyway.”

The release of the Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor starrer, says trade expert Amod Mehra, will not hamper the collections of Kumar’s Pad Man, which has been garnering a positive response ever since news about it began to hit headlines. “Both the films boast of solid storylines, so, they will perform well. It’s a holiday weekend, and the audience will try to catch them both.”