Reports that the next Prabhas starrer Saaho will now be postponed from Independence Day August 15 to Dussehra seem to be someone’s idea of wishful thinking. Saaho, says director Sujeeth, is not moving anywhere. Says the director Sujeeth, “We are very much on track. In fact our next poster which we will release very shortly mentions August 15 as the release date. The Independence Day weekend is a good time for more than one film to release simultaneously. It’s a long holiday and people are in the mood to go out for a film, if it is worth their time and money.”

While agreeing with Sujeeth I can’t help wondering why insecure elements try to spread anti-release stories about rival films. “Competition is good as long as it is healthy,” says Sujeeth, adding that he’s looking forward to seeing the two big Bollywood releases on August 18 the Akshay Kumar starrer Mission Mangal and the John Abrahan starrer Batla House.

In 2018 too John and Akshay were pitched against one another when the John Abraham starrer Satyamev Jayate was pitched against Akshay Kumar’s Gold. In 2019 it is Abraham’s Batla House against Akshay’s Mission Mangal. Both are fact-based film whereas Saaho is an out-and-out fantasy.

Prabhas hopes to make a large dent in the traditional Hindi belt in North India with Saaho. The film has done away with all tell-tale signs of regionalism making it culturally as pan-India as possible.