Director Shoojit Sircar’s quirky Bollywood comedy ‘Gulabo Sitabo’, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana, will premiere directly on web streaming platform Amazon Prime Video on June 12.
Its release directly to a web platform, as cinemas around the world have shut due to the coronavirus outbreak, is a sign of how things will function in Bollywood in the future.
“This is the dawn of a new era for Indian entertainment,” Sircar said in a statement. “I am happy that a global audience will be able to watch our gritty dramedy, and enjoy what the film has in store for them. ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ is a quirky, light-hearted movie that the audience can enjoy with their families.”
‘Gulabo Sitabo’, a tale of a landlord and his tenant, is the first big Bollywood film to release directly onto a web platform, although there were talks about Akshay Kumar’s ‘Laxxmi Bommb,’ a song for which was shot in Dubai, following the web-first release route.
Due to cinemas being shut due to safety concerns during the pandemic, many filmmakers are now weighing their options and contemplating releasing their films directly onto streaming platforms with the maximum reach. Rumours about Ranveer Singh’s ‘Sooryavanshi’ and ‘’83’, which were slated to release this summer, but have been stalled due to COVID-19, are rife in industry circles now.
Directed by Sircar of ‘Piku’ fame, ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ stars Bachchan and Khurrana as the leads. Bachchan describes his new film as a slice-of-life dramedy that’s perfect for families to watch while they quarantine at home.
“I was excited about my role since the first time Shoojit showed me the character’s look. It took me almost 3 hours each day to get into character with its different look. I had a wonderful time working with my very talented co-star Ayushmann Khurrana. Even though we are constantly bantering in the film, it has been a pleasure working with him for the first time,” said Bachchan.
Khurrana calls ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ a ‘special film’ in his career that will impress you with its ‘sheer simplicity’.
“It made me reunite with my mentor Shoojit da after ‘Vicky Donor’. Whatever I’m today is because of him and I’m happy that he made me a part of his vision again. ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ also sees me share the screen space with Mr Amitabh Bachchan for the first time and it’s a huge moment, it’s a dream come true for me. I have secretly wished to work with him for many, many years and Shoojit da made this happen and I will be indebted to him forever,” said Khurrana.
