On Sunday, Akshay Kumar announced his new project, Bell Bottom, a spy drama that is inspired by true events. The Ranjit Tiwari-directed film is scheduled to hit theatres on January 22, 2021 — barely a month after the slated release of Kumar's action thriller, Bachchan Pandey. However, buzz suggests that the Farhad Samji-directed venture, which was eyeing a Christmas 2020 release, has been pushed for now.

A source reveals, "The scripting of Bachchan Pandey is underway and it will be a while before the final draft is ready. The pre-production too will be a time-consuming affair. So, Akshay and the producers are contemplating postponing the shoot, and by extension, the release. It works out to the advantage of the makers — the team will have enough time to fine-tune the script. Also, the film will avoid locking horns with Aamir Khan's passion project, Laal Singh Chaddha. As of now, Akshay is busy juggling the shoot of Laxmmi Bomb and Sooryavanshi. Next on the cards is Yash Raj Films' Prithviraj, which is a Diwali 2020 affair, and then he will most likely dive into the shoot of Bell Bottom. If all goes well, Bachchan Pandey will go on floors post that. It is unlikely that the two Akshay-starrers will come within a month of each other."

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