The talk of town is that
the much-awaited Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone-Shahid Kapoor starrer Padmavati
is not keeping its appointment of its release date, December 1,
2017.
But the million dollar
question is: Why?
Straight to the point:
1st POSSIBILITY:
Rumours
are flying thick and fast that Padmavati's final print is still not ready, at
least not the 3D version. Sources say that the VFX is still going on in Ajay
Devgn's Studios, Prime Focus and at least two other places. It was a race
against time and the makers (Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Viacom 18) could not win
it. 
A Still From Padmavati
2nd POSSIBILITY:
Yesterday, you and I woke
up to a story which said that "the Central Board of Film Certification
(CBFC) has sent Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed Padmavati back to him and Viacom
18, saying the application for the certification was incomplete".
Now, this sent out a tinge of suggestion that perhaps the Censors' Examining
Committee had either seen the film or at least got the film on their table.
A Still From Padmavati
That story was
substantiated by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures' COO Ajit Andhare saying that
"the print is with the CBFC and it can still see it if it wants
to."
However,
according to a source in the know, "“The Censor Board could not have got
the print of Padmavati under any circumstances.The producer is informed of the
Censor screening maximum only a day before. CBFC never accepts content and
stores it. You don't send the film back at scrutiny level; it's just that you
send the Application Form back.
A Still From Padmavati
Padmavati was at the scrutiny level and its paperwork was a bit incomplete.
Incomplete paperwork means that the makers had not filled the form
completely. If I am not wrong, it was not mentioned that what genre does the
film belong to. Plus, it did not carry the disclaimer.
Now note well, that the
disclaimer is not sent in the print because as I said, the print never arrives
to the Censor Board before the screening date, and that too the producer or his
team personally carry it with them at the decided theatre where the screening
is slayed to be held.
A Still From Padmavati
And mind you, this return
of papers happens in case of almost every film.
There are 68 days allotted
to the Censor Board to do their work (SEE CHART BELOW). Sadly, most films come
very late. But from now onward, the filmmakers will have to adhere to the rule.
The first 10 days are given to scrutiny, which involves completion of paperwork
in all respects."
So, was it really the
Censors? Was the print sent out to the Peddar Road office as a special case?
A quick question: Will the 68-day rule be really imposed on others as well, or is it just for Padmavati?
3rd POSSIBILITY:
This morning, we woke up
to reports are that Kshatriya community leaders from BJP have apparently
written to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding the stalling of Padmavati
release ahead of Gujarat elections. According to reports, BJP vice-president
I.K. Jadeja has received representations from Kshatriya community in 17-18
districts of Gujarat.
So, what's the truth? Will
we ever know? It's trippy.
A Still From Padmavati
Image Source : Youtube