'Ajay Devgn is a gentleman, he won't say this': Boney Kapoor compares 'unethical' RRR-Maidaan clash to a backstabbing

Boney Kapoor has said that he will never shy away from speaking about the 'unethical' RRR-Maidaan clash. He said that his star, Ajay Devgn, is too gentlemanly to say anything about the matter.

Producer Boney Kapoor has said that he will not shy away from speaking his mind about the 'clash' between his film, Maidaan, and SS Rajamouli's RRR. Both films feature Ajay Devgn and Boney has voiced his disapproval of the RRR producers' decision to slot their film on the same day as Maidaan.

Ajay Devgn’s Maidaan poster feature him as football coach Syed Abdul Rahim.

Calling the move 'unethical', he said that Ajay is too much of a gentleman to comment on the matter. Both films are slated for an October 15 release.

“We will see how it pans out," Boney told Pinkvilla. "It was unethical for those people to announce on the same day, despite the same actor being the main lead of my film and one of the heroes of their film. I would take this to my grave, and it’s almost like stabbing on the back of the hero.”

He continued, "Ajay is a gentleman, he will not say this. But I know how it feels. Here you have, in your main market, a solo hero picture, and then you have a film where you've graciously agreed to do a part with two other heroes. And of course, done by Rajamouli, who has given huge hits; he doesn't have to wait for festivals. He should have that faith and confidence that 'my release date itself will create a festival'."

Boney said that he doesn't buy Rajamouli's explanation that the distributor wanted that particular release date. Boney said that he feels Rajamouli's films would work even if they are released mid-week. "I released Mr India on a Wednesday, so it doesn't matter. But to each his own."

Previously, in an interview with a leading daily, Boney said that Ajay had spoken to Rajamouli about averting the possible clash, and that even the actor wasn't made aware of the announcement until a day before it was made. Hence, Boney said, Ajay didn't share the RRR announcement on social media. Boney said that he has no choice but to believe Rajamouli, who told him that the release date 'was not in his hands because he had played no role in this and it is entirely between the RRR producer and distributors'.

Maidaan is a biopic of legendary Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who is widely associated with the golden era of Indian football in 1950s. RRR, meanwhile, is based on the lives of two Independence-era revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, played by Ram Charan and Jr NTR.