Speculation is rife that Bodyguard will not make its August 31 deadline. Producer Atul Agnihotri rubbishes the rumours: “It’s an Eid release, we’re totally prepared. The first copy will be out on August 16, which is almost a fortnight before the opening.”  

Atul points out that the release date for any film is important and he fixed on Eid for Bodyguard even before Dabangg (2010) released. “After Wanted (2009) and Dabangg’s super-success, expectations have soared. We wouldn’t have rushed it had we been compromising on quality. The shooting spilled over a bit but that was because it has many action sequences that required thought and time. But we’re on schedule,” he asserts. There’s persistent buzz that his lead actor and brother-in-law Salman Khan is primarily responsible for the delay. He is believed to have taken over the roles of director, choreographer and editor too, and has even re-shot certain scenes.

Says Atul, “MM Siddiqui, who also directed the Malayalam film Kavalan that inspired this one, is totally in command. Yes, Salman is involved but isn’t that true for all thinking and contributing actors, be it Shah Rukh (Khan), Aamir (Khan), Farhan (Akhtar) or Hrithik (Roshan)?”

Atul also insists there would be a problem if Salman came without even hearing the song he was going to shoot. “It’s good to have an actor who’s committed to a project. These days Salman gives at least six months exclusively to a film and is completely focused,” he reasons.

“An actor like Salman has done far more work than any of us and his inputs are invaluable. Also, he has direct communication with his fans. Good, bad or ugly, he hears it from them upfront. So, he’s conscious about the output.” Atul is heartened by the overwhelming response to the film’s promos: “It’s a festive release and people will want to be entertained. We’re hoping we can do that. One thing I can promise, Bodyguard is not Wanted or Dabangg recycled. No repeats!”