Padman, Padmavat
Movie Stills

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's much-awaited period film Padmaavat has finally got a solo release at the box office on January 25 as the makers of PadMan have decided to postpone the release date to avert the gigantic box office clash.

The Akshay Kumar-starrer will now release on February 9 and lock horns with Aiyaary, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee.

According to a report in the Times Of India, the makers of PadMan have released an official statement where they have announced that the Akshay Kumar-starrer will have a new release date.

It was reported earlier by FilmFare that Bhansali met Akshay on January 19 morning and requested him to postpone the release date of his upcoming film since Padmaavat has taken a financial hit due to the delay in its release.

The film, which was to release last December, will now hit the screens on January 25 because of protests the Rajput Karni Sena and the delays by the CBFC in certifying it.

Akshay Kumar, in a joint press conference with Bhansali on Friday evening in Mumbai, confirmed the news and said: "It is essential for them to release the film Padmaavat as quickly as possible, so I agreed to move the release date of my film PadMan ahead. It will now be released on February 9."

Bhansali, on the other hand, expressed his gratitude towards Akshay and thanked him for allowing his film to have a solo release on January 25. 

"Padmaavat has been made after facing a lot of difficulties. We decided on the release date of January 25 but it was with Akshay Kumar for the release of his film PadMan. We requested him to move the release date of his film ahead. He agreed. I will be grateful to him for a lifetime," Bhansali said.

PadMan tells the story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who revolutionised the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India by creating a low-cost sanitary napkin machine. 

Padmaavat was cleared by the CBFC with five modifications. Its makers have since released a long disclaimer detailing the changes.

Read the full, unedited disclaimer of Padmaavat here:

"The film 'Padmaavat' is based on the epic 'Padmavat' by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi which is a revered work of fiction.

The film does not have and never had a dream sequence between Alauddin Khilji and Rani Padmavati.

We have made this film as an ode to the famed valour, legacy and courage of Rajputs.

The film portrays Rani Padmavati with utmost respect and does not tarnish her repute or misrepresent her character in any manner.

The film has been cleared with only five modifications by the CBFC and is officially approved for release in India with a U/A certificate.

There are no further cuts or modifications to the film.

We are grateful to the government authorities, CBFC, film fraternity and our fans for their support." 

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