Akshay Kumar Has Shown The Industry What Camaraderie Is All About

On Friday evening  Akshay Kumar got together with Sanjay Leela Bhansali to announce  the postponement  of PadMan so that Bhansali’s Padmaavat can get a solo release.

 Akshay’s entire team  is with him  on this decision.

Says  his co-producer Prernaa Arora of Kriarj Films, “What Akshay Sir did  on Friday evening is unheard  of.Just a week before our film’s release  , without any prior intimation or warning Mr Sanjay LeelaBhansali, a legend in his own right, came to Akshay Sir requesting that we postpone PadMan.It takes a lot of humility for  a man of Bhansaliji’s stature to  come forward with  such a request.  It takes an equally great artiste to comply to such  a startling  request.  It was a  very unusual  request considering we were days away from release.  But Akshay Sir agreed immediately.  It says a lot about this generous heart.”

 Prernaa also scoffs at  filmmakers and produces who deliberately  pitch their films against one  another. “They should learn  from this experience. By moving ahead  by two weeks at the last minuteAkshay has shown there can be solidarity in the film fraternity.  His  gesture will be remembered  for a  very long time.”

The entire PadMan team  is with Akshay on this  issue.

“We are  all in  agreement  on  Akshay Sir’s decision. There are so  many big stars  who deliberately  look  for boxoffice clashes by pitching their films against other big films. Akshay Sir has shown the way to  a peaceful co-existence  in  the  film industry.”

Adds Prernaa’s partner  Arjun N  Kapoor,  “Somehow Akshay Kumarhas played a very big hand in Prernaa and my career as  producers. Our first film as producers Rustom starred Akshay Sir. Our second film as  producers Toilet Ek Prem Katha also starred Akshay Sir. And look at destiny. Our third film was going to be Pari which did not feature Akshay Sir. But that’s now postponed to March and our third  film PadMan is also with Akshay Sir.  It’s destiny.”

Arjun says Akshay has shown the film industry  the value of solidarity. “I am from outside Bollywood. Before I became  a producer I used to hear stories of the dog-eat-eat mentality  in  the  film industry. But a gesture like the one Akshay Sir showed toward  Mr Sanjay Leela Bhansali makes up for all the selfinterest that rules our entertainment industry.”