Akshay Kumar's Padman to clash with Aiyaary on February 9

Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Akshay Kumar

At a time when most filmmakers refuse to budge from their release date - box-office clashes and the impending losses be damned - Akshay Kumar showed that there can be place for empathy instead of ego. In a press conference that saw both Kumar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali in attendance, the actor announced that he was postponing the release of Pad Man to avert locking horns with Padmaavat. While the Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor-starrer will release on January 25 as scheduled, Pad Man will now clash with Aiyaary and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety on February 9.

Stills from Padman

Kumar revealed that Bhansali met him last morning and requested him to bow out of the race. Explaining his reason behind the change in date, Kumar said that the filmmaker has "much more at stake" than him. "Our films can release on the same day and the business would be great, but there is no point clashing. They have already gone through a lot. I can completely understand that his need for this date is more than mine. So, I can wait," said Kumar. Bhansali, who has backed Kumar's Rowdy Rathore (2012) and Gabbar Is Back (2015) in the past, expressed his gratitude to the actor. "As soon as I requested him to postpone his film, he told me that he was completely with me. I will be grateful to him for a lifetime, for what he has done today. The fraternity will be proud of what Akshay has done."

Stills from Padmaavat

The trade industry too welcomed the move. Terming Kumar's call a "mature decision", trade analyst Amod Mehra said, "Akshay has not let his ego come in the way and has allowed Padmaavat to have a clear release. This is a healthy sign."

Mehra added that Pad Man's release on the second Friday of February wouldn't necessarily affect the collections of Sidharth Malhotra's Aiyaary. "People like to watch content-driven films and both of them boast of solid story. But with these two films coming in, Sonu Ke Tittu Ki Sweety doesn't stand a chance."
Trade expert Komal Nahta reiterated that the makers of the Kartik Aaryan film should reconsider their release date. "I am sure they will look for another date now. As far as Pad Man getting postponed is concerned, I think it's an intelligent business decision."

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