Director Krish in a tight spot

Director Krish has completely distanced himself from Manikarnika, the Kangana-driven Jhansi Ki Rani biopic and is now focused on completing and releasing his other biopic, on the life of the legendary N.T. Rama Rao, on the same day as Manikarnika January 25. If this bizarre self-competition actually happens then  Krish would be the first Indian director to have two biopics, directed by him, to release on the same day. Sources reveal there is political pressure on Krish to complete and release the NTR biopic ahead of the Andhra state elections in 2019.

Of course Manikarnika is not entirely Krish’s creation. The film’s titular leading lady Kangana Ranaut has shot and re-shot parts of  the film. 

Though officially, this parting between  Krish and the  producers of Manikarnika was announced as “amicable”, insiders reveal it was far from that.

A source from the inside says Krish “amputated” himself from Mankarnika to focus on the NTR biopic. He’s now determined to release his NTR biopic on the same day as Manikarnika because the film producer Balakrishna is adamant. A source closely associated with Krish says the director is under severe pressure, “On the one hand the Rani Laxmibai biopic has slipped  out of Krish’s hands. Kangana Ranaut has taken over the project with the tacit approval of the producers. On the other hand, the producers of the NTR biopic want their project out on the auspicious occasion of Sankranti. Let’s hope something auspicious comes out of this self-competition for Krish.” While there have been previous instances of the same  director with two releases on  the same Friday, David Dhawan’s Deewana Mastana and Mr & Mrs 55 were released on the same Friday  never before has a director in any part of the world released two biopics on the same Friday.