Akshay Kumar postpones PadMan's release for Padmaavat

'I will be grateful to Akshay Kumar for a lifetime for what he has done.'

Akshay Kumar has postponed the release of his film, PadMan, to avoid a box office clash with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's controversy-ridden Padmaavat.

Directed by R Balki, PadMan was supposed to release on January 25 but will now arrive in the theatres on February 9.

Akshay called a press conference in Mumbai to explain his reason for pushing his film forward.

"My film was to release on January 25. Padmaavat was also going to release on the same day. I was doing a rehearsal and Sanjay Leela Bhansali came and asked if I could move it (postpone the release of PadMan). We are all a family and a part of the same industry," he said.

He then called out to Bhansali, who was at the venue, to address the media.

"My film has been made after a lot of difficulties," said Bhansali. "I requested Akshay to postpone the release of his film. Clashing with an Akshay Kumar film (at the box office) would be difficult. I will be grateful to him for a lifetime for what he has done. The fraternity will be proud of what Akshay has done today."

Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar

The makers of Padmaavat had announced the release date of their film earlier this month after they received a clearance from the Censor Board.

Sanjay Leela Bansali's film had to miss its scheduled release, December 1, after Rajput groups like the Karni Sena objected to both the content of the film and the portrayal of queen Padmavati.

Padmaavat will now enjoy a solo release on January 25.

PadMan is based on the life of Tamil Nadu based social activist Arunachalam Muruganantham, who created affordable sanitary napkins in rural India. The film will now take on Neeraj Pandey's Aiyaary on February 9.

With inputs from Jahnavi Patel.