Are Akshay Kumar and Neeraj at loggerheads over release?

While the end of 2017 saw releases like Tiger Zinda Hai and Fukrey Returns, there are no other major Hindi releases until the mid of January next year. According to trade experts, this famine of Bollywood releases is a direct consequence of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavat being pushed out of the release zone.

Though by the mid of January, we will see Akshat Verma’s Kaalaakandi and Anurag Kashyap’s Mukkaabaz. We can also expect a battle at the box office on Republic Day as two releases are scheduled for the day — Padman and Aiyaary. While the slot is reserved informally by Akshay Kumar (as he ensures his films are released either on Republic Day or Independence Day, or both), his erstwhile friend and business partner Neeraj Pandey’s film Aiyaary is also set to release on the same date.

A trade insider, who didn’t wish to be named, calls this is a deliberate attempt to take on Akshay. “Neeraj is very much aware that Akshay’s Padman is releasing on January 26. Neeraj still went ahead with the release of Aiyaary. Because the two have fallen out over financial issues,” adding, “Their proposed fourth film Crack, which was to be released on Independence Day, has also been shelved.”

But would Aiyaary be able to take on Padman? Chances, say trade pundits, are bleak. Akshay’s reputation as the hero of the masses has already generated massive interest in Padman, whereas, Aiyaary with Sidharth Malhotra — who hasn’t had a hit in a long time and Manoj Bajpai, — stands a distant second in terms of audiences’ appeal.

Despite all this, Padman’s co-producer Prernaa Arora has decided to go ahead with the release her film Pari on February 9, just two weeks after Padman. Why is that the producer is competing with herself? Explains Prernaa, “Padman and Pari are two different entities. I am confident that both will find their audience. It’s just a happy coincidence that I’m involved with both the films. I’m proud of them. Pari is Anushka Sharma’s first post-marriage release so we’re very excited. As for Padman, Akshay Kumar is Akshay Kumar, no one can touch this.”