CAUSE AND EFFECT

As Padmavati makers defer the movie’s release, we find out if the decision will have a cascading effect on Bollywood’s film release schedule as well as business

By now, it’s a known fact that Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus, Padmavati won’t keep its date with the December 1 weekend owing to widespread protests by several fringe groups. In a statement, Viacom18, the studio backing the film, announced that the historical drama’s release date has been voluntarily deferred and the “revised release date” will be announced in “due course.”

BIG LOSSES

What’s interesting is that even as Padmavati looks for a new release date, its postponement is likely to see a cascading effect on the release schedule of other films, besides spelling big losses for exhibitors as well as distributors.

To start with, it’s highly unlikely that Padmavati makers will release the film on any other date in December, especially since the Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif-starrer Tiger Zinda Hai (TZH) is set to release on the Christmas weekend. Farhan Akhtar’s next production, Fukrey Returns is also slated to release next month.

WHAT’S IN STORE?

In all likelihood, makers will move Padmavati’s release to next year but January also doesn’t seem to be a viable option right now since Akshay Kumar-Sonam Kapoor starrer Padman and Neeraj Pandeydirected Aiyaary (starring Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee) are scheduled to hit theatres in that month. Plus, Anurag Kashyap’s Mukkabaaz is set to release in January.

“Let’s see what the makers do because December is out of question now as TZH is slated to release by the end of December. It will be interesting to see how they go about it as January also looks quite packed,” says trade analyst Amod Mehra.