After the mammoth success of Drishyam 2, the trade circuit is eagerly waiting for Ajay Devgn’s next, Bholaa. However, one film that went on floors much earlier is Maidaan. Amit R Sharma’s directorial venture stars Ajay as iconic Indian football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who led the national team during its golden run from 1950 to 1962. Initially slated to arrive last June, the sports drama’s release was rescheduled several times over, and was to hit the marquee on May 12. Now, it has been deferred again to June 23. While the film’s date with cinemas was previously altered due to technical reasons, this time around, it is for want of a clear window. An industry source says that the change of date won’t hamper the film’s prospects. “Maidaan is the kind of film that will depend on reviews and audience’s positive word-of-mouth,” says the source.

Flying with Anil Kapoor