Padmavati is set to release on 25th January and the film is huge trouble from all angles. It was officially announced a few days back with a new name Padmaavat, a new trailer and a new poster. The poster was the funny one as it had many clarifications and when you are in this situation and you clarify then people will generally believe the opposite to what you are clarifying. For example when you say a certain scene is not in the film, most out there will think that it is and thats why you are stressing on it. The best way is you have got a censor and dont push with this sort of stuff when already you are in big trouble and if you really need a new poster give a regular one.

Padmaavat as it is called now has been banned in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana but there are also local orders to exhibitors in many cities especially in Maharashtra and UP not to play the film. So although the state governments have not banned the film in these states the local authorities who feel their could be a law and order problem in their city are taking it upon themselves to send notices to exhibitors.

The film has lost 26-28% of its market at present with the official bans and this is not counting the cities which have local bans. This 26-28% is likely to go up over the next week or so and could be 35% or 40% or even 50% by the time of release.

The distributors of Paadmavat have refused to split the single screens with Padman but the problem here is that with these bans in many states, the remaining single screens will be mainly in UP, Maharashtra and Bihar and many cities in these states may ban Padmaavat so it could not be releasing on many of these screens leaving exhibitors with only Padman has a choice. On top there will be fear these states will ban officially.

It does not get much better as Padmaavat has an excellent digital deal which they just cant afford to lose due to the theatrical release problems but the agreement is for streaming after five weeks of theatrical release. Here the big chains (PVR, Inox, Cinepolis, Big) will refuse to play on that five week scenario as they want eight weeks window and 1921 had to agree to this window to get a release at the chains. The national chains will know how important it is for this film to release in their multiplexes and will easily have an upper hand in any negotiations as they have a major alternative with Padman. 

If that is not all then there are problems in Overseas also as some chains in USA have a clause that you cant have two films releasing on the same day which have the same initial letters and here we have PADman and PADmaavat. Sony Columbia got down to work on this and booked the screens first for Padman and then raised an objection for Padmaavat and now Padmaavat distributors have to it all to do there to get a proper release and this film has potential in the States.

Basically it just frightening what has happened with this film with the screw being tightened from all sides. If god forbid this film is bad it is going to be carnage out there with unimaginable losses and if it is good it is very unlikely it will do the business it deserves.

The main lesson here is that if there is a controversy or a problem with the film you are making sort it out as soon as possible. It had been going on for a year or more with this film but the makers let it go as it creates more curiosity and awareness for the film and normally things work out. But then sometimes like in the case of Padmaavat they blow up in your face and how.

The makers went to the supreme court on Monday to reverse these bans and lets see if they get some respite.