Raees trailer may release on Shah Rukh Khan's 51st birthday, to be attached with Dear Zindagi

Even as simmering anti-Pakistan sentiment in the wake of the Uri attacks threatens the fate of films like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Dear Zindagi and Raees (there is now not just a ban on artistes and technicians from across the border working in India, the exhibitors and distributors’ association here is also mooting a ban on screenings of films with Pakistani artistes), Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies and Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment are going ahead with plans to promote their film Raees. [caption id=“attachment_3037292” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Shah Rukh Khan in the poster of ‘Raees’[/caption] Raees, directed by Rahul Dholakia and starring SRK and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan in the lead, was supposed to release during Eid in 2016. However, since Salman Khan’s Sultan was also scheduled for the same release date, Red Chillies and Excel decided to push its release date to 2017 , in time for the Republic Day weekend. In doing so, they also set up another clash — this time with Hrithik Roshan’s Kaabil. Now, Kaabil’s trailer will be attached to Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Shivaay when they play in theatres after their 28 October release. Incidentally, Aamir Khan’s Dangal trailer (the film is scheduled for a Christmas 2016 release) will also be attached to these films. Reports state that Shah Rukh Khan wanted to avoid any comparisons between the two films and Raees and therefore decided to hold back his trailer. So when will it be released instead? At a special event on SRK’s birthday on 2 November. The actor makes it a point to host a special meet and greet with the press and his fans at his residence Mannat in Mumbai every year on his birthday. He intends to release the Raees trailer at this event, which will mark his 51st birthday. The trailer may later be attached to Shah Rukh Khan’s film with Alia Bhatt, Dear Zindagi, that is directed by Gauri Shinde. Dear Zindagi releases on 25 November. Meanwhile, there have been unverified reports that the Raees release date could be pushed further back to avoid any backlash amid the current bilateral tensions. The teaser of _Raees_ was released in July: