Best supporting role: Pad Man
WHILE MOST HAVE GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE PAD MAN ACTOR’S DECISION TO DELAY HIS FILM’S RELEASE, SOURCES CLAIM THAT IT WAS MARKED BY A LITTLE MORE THAN SELF- INTEREST
The Hindi film industry, always portrayed as a harsh and mean world, where each person looks out only for one’s own interest, witnessed a rare instance of solidarity on Friday. Akshay Kumar, whose biographical film Pad Man was to release at the same time as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s controversial Padmaavat, deferred the release of his film at the latter’s request. Much to the Padmaavat team’s relief, the film is all set for a solo release on the most lucrative Republic Day weekend.
While Bhansali’s magnum opus has seen the lowest of lows what with the sets being vandalised, the lead actors being threatened and the release being postponed several times, the industry has backed Bhansali right from the start. And this is the most tangible example of Bollywood’s solidarity yet.
In fact, Akshay’s entire team is with him on this decision. Says his co- producer Prernaa Arora of KriArj Films, “What Akshay sir did on Friday evening is unheard of. Just a week before our film’s release, without any prior intimation or warning, Mr Sanjay Leela Bhansali, a legend in his own right, came to Akshay sir requesting that we postpone Pad Man. It takes a lot of humility for a man of Bhansaliji’s stature to come forward with such a request. It takes an equally great artiste to comply with such a startling request. It was a very unusual request considering we were just days away from release. But Akshay agreed immediately. It says a lot about his generous heart.”
Prernaa further states that this event sets a precedent for other actors, directors and producers who pit their films against each other in a bid to come out on top. “They should learn from this experience. By moving ahead by two weeks at the last minute, Akshay has shown there can be solidarity in the film fraternity. His gesture will be remembered for a very long time,” she says.
Prernaa’s partner, Arjun N. Kapoor also agrees that this unity is not just welcome but also needed in the industry. “Akshay has been a huge part of Prernaa and my beginning as producers what with the fact that he’s starred in the first three films that we’ve produced. But then, this just increases our respect for him all the more,” he gushes.
Arjun adds, “Before getting into production, I was an outsider in the industry. I would always hear stories that it’s a dog- eat- dog world. But a gesture like this one makes up for all the acts of self- interest that rule the industry.”
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN
Despite the team’s profuse admiration for Akshay, the move isn’t as magnanimous as it may seem. While the entire industry is busy commending the actor- producer’s largesse, the generous gesture was not without a pinch of self- interest.
A source in the know informs us,
“It was a marvellous marketing manoeuvre. In one stroke, Akshay made himself out to be the hero rescuing Padmaavat from its crisis. But look closer. He actually did his own film a favour. His entire marketing team advised him to pull out of the January 25 release slot after Padmaavat came into the picture. With Padmaavat around, Pad Man would have lost at least 45 per cent of its intended viewership. Also, with all the threats of violence hovering over Padmaavat, the multiplex theatres screening both Padmaavat and Pad Man would have witnessed a reduction in visitors. Families wary of unrest would have stayed away from both films.” Sources also claim that the actor was thinking of pulling Pad Man out of the Republic Day race anyway, but Bhansali’s request came at an opportune time.
Furthermore, it is believed Bhansali did not want to be the one to approach the Pad Man star. He’d wanted to send a Viacom18 representative to do the job. However, the team felt that the request would sound more genuine if it came from the director himself and Bhansali had to swallow his pride.
Whatever their motivations though, it seems that both the much- awaited films have got their share of positive response and limelight from their fans, who are geared up for a couple of powerpacked weeks of cinema- going.
Sources also claim that Akshay was thinking of pulling Pad Man out of the Republic Day race anyway, but Bhansali’s request came at an opportune time