Padmavati’s makers in quandary after change of film’s release schedule

The most controvertial magnum opus of the most talked about Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, PADMAVATI made with a humongous budget of Rupees 180 crores is in a real fix as the movie has been stalled for now after so much of national protests with political overtones blaming Bhansali for twisting and concocting the historical facts putting highly reverred 16th century Queen Padmavati in poor light as the admirer or keep of the then cruel emperor Allauddun Khiljee which the former outrightly denied as completely baseless and beyond facts.

Now even the chief ministers of Punjab Captain Amrinder Singh, CM UP Yogi Aadityanath and CM Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje Scindia and even Shiv Sena has come out in the open in support of the Rajput Community and the KARNI SENA by writing to the Union I&B Minister Smiriti Irani to not let the fim be released unless the objectionable sections from the movie are taken out. Similarly, the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification has also come out in the open against Sanjay Leela Bhansali raising strong objections of showing the film to few journalists of repute before being cleared by the CBFC.

The film was earlier slated for the release in the month of December in the first week but since now the release has been deferred due to the ongoing controversy which has now adopted added proportions the film’s postponement is likely to see the cascading affect on the release scheduled for other films, besides spelling huge losses for the exhibitors as well as the distributors. Now since Salman Khan’s film Tiger Zinda hai is all set to be released in the last week of December, Padmavati’s release has been held up till for December. Since the movie has been madeon huge budget of 180 crores the makers can’t take the risk of releasing it one weak before or after of any other good film’s release as it may ruin the chances of Padmavati in the box office.

In view of the December release date going off, the makers are working on fresh strategy to ensure that the film becomes a huge hit and no other film comes in the way of its release. But for this the makersof the fim will have to reframe its entire strategy by taking other film makers into confidence. The experts say that now a release date is very critical and once the makers miss the date earlier fixed as per planning, the whole strategy goes into jeopardy.
SUNIL NEGI