Bollywood rule breakers: Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar

Instead of the usual Friday, Hrithik Roshan’s next film Krrish 3 will hit screens on a Sunday while Akshay Kumar defies his own seven year old policy to shoot on Sundays for Milan Luthria's Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again.

The makers have not even released the first look of the film, yet Hrithik Roshan’s upcoming superhero sequel is a highly-anticipated release. And now, even as the film remains under-production, director-producer Rakesh Roshan has made another move that will lead to a further increase in expectations.

Actor-Akshay-Kumar-Photo-Courtesy-Facebook

Unlike most Bollywood films that release on Friday, Krrish 3 will hit the big screen on Sunday, November 3, which also happens to be Diwali day. “It’s an auspicious occasion, so why not make the most of it by releasing Krrish 3 on the same date? Plus, my distributors have informed me that no big film is releasing pre-Diwali,” says Roshan Sr., adding that he has taken the decision with Hrithik’s total support.

The last film he directed was in 2006, Krrish. The industry seems extremely confident about the release of his next. Ask him if he feels the same way, and the filmmaker responds with a smile, saying, “Absolutely not. If the film is good, it will work. I don’t believe in pre-empting results.”

Incidentally, releasing films on the regular Diwali weekend — November 1 — is not considered a wise decision as people are reluctant to leave their homes a few days before the festival. “So if the film releases on November 1, it might not get as big an opening as it would if it released on November 3,” informs a trade insider.

The last time Akshay Kumar worked on a Sunday was when he was shooting for Priyadarshan’s Bhagam Bhag in 2006. Back then, Akshay set a rule for himself. He decided never to work on Sundays, as that one day of the week was dedicated to his family. But now, he has broken his own rule for Milan Luthria’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Again.

“Milan was not well, due to which the shoot was delayed for three days. So Akshay agreed to work on April 7 (Sunday) to make up for lost time. Since this is the film’s last schedule, the makers can’t push it any further either. The permission and availability of the shooting venue (at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai) is also a constraint,” says an insider from the unit. To make sure they catch up on lost time, Akshay and co-stars Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha started shooting at 7 am on Sunday.

“The shoot went on all day till the sun went down. The idea was to finish as much as they could,” adds the insider.

We tried contacting Akshay, but he remained unavailable for a comment. However, director Milan confirms the news, with a laugh. “Yes, I have asked Akshay for a big favour (by making him work on a Sunday). But what we shot on April 7 is a interesting sequence,” he says, adding, “I haven’t told him yet, but I need him to work next Sunday too.”

The sequel to the 2010 gangster film is expected to release on Eid this year.