Padmaavat

Only days after the makers of Padmaavat announced January 25 as its official release date, the team seems to have a tactic up its sleeve to give it a head-start in its clash with Akshay Kumar's Padman. mid-day has learnt that the Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor-starrer will have paid previews across theatres in India (barring the states that have banned it) on the night of January 24. Confirming the development, Manoj Desai, owner of G7 multiplex in Mumbai, says, "While Padman releases on January 25, Padmaavat will release the night before. The distributors of Padmaavat are likely to reimburse the film that is scheduled for the 9.30 pm show that day and screen the magnum opus instead. There will be only one paid preview. This will happen not just in my theatres but across India."