After theatres being shut for more than seven months due to the lockdown, they are all set to re-open from October 16th. While theatres reopen, cinephiles are very intrigued to know which film releases and which one doesn’t.
According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, Ali Abbas Zafar is all set to release his production Khaali Peeli in theatres. It will be one of the first films to hit the big screen post the lockdown. Though the film had an OTT release earlier this month, they are happy to release the film now in theatres. “This is not about box office numbers anymore. It’s a test to see how many people return to the theatres, a kind of a warm up for the bigger releases to follow later in the year,” says Ali Abbas Zafar.
However, a source reveals to the daily that the national multiplex chain owners are not too keen to release a direct-to-digital film in theatres. They are also wondering if playing Khaali Peeli could set a wrong precedent. Meanwhile some cinema owners in interiors want Akshay Kumar’s Laxxmi Bomb to release in theatres alongside its streaming during Diwali on Hotstar Disney Plus.
The report further states that this Diwali there will be a clash of three releases – Sooraj Pe Mangal Bhaari Hai (Diljit Dosanjh, Manoj Bajpayee, Fatima Sana Shaikh), Indoor Ki Jawaani (Kiara Advani) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production – Tuesdays and Fridays. Shibasish Sarkar, CEO, Reliance Entertainment confirmed that two of their big releases, Sooryavanshi and ’83 will have theatrical release. However while the Ranveer Singh starrer will have a Christmas release, Rohit Shetty’s cop drama will be pushed to next year between January and March. Let’s wait and watch what’s the fate of these movies at the box-office amidst the pandemic and the new normal.