Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who is gearing up for the release of his Eid film ‘Radhe’, will pledge a part of the revenue from his film proceeds towards COVID-19 relief work in India.
The decision was taken by the actor along with the movie’s producer-distributor Zee Enterprises and Salman Khan Films (SKF).
“The nation is going through an extremely challenging situation and as a responsible corporate, ZEE stays committed towards taking all the necessary steps to strengthen the fight against COVID-19. At ZEE, we believe in not only providing extraordinary entertainment to our viewers, but also going beyond the business to undertake meaningful and focused efforts to drive positive change across the Country. We sincerely hope that the support from the release of the film ‘Radhe’, will help amplify the resources to provide vital relief efforts to people affected by the pandemic,” said a spokesperson from Zee Enterprises in a statement.
Director Prabhudeva’s ‘Radhe’, starring Khan, Disha Patani, and Randeep Hooda, will enjoy a theatrical release in the UAE on May 13. In India, the film will see a hybrid release as it premieres on an OTT platform and select cinemas.
“We are glad to be a part of this noble initiative, to contribute our bit towards the nation’s fight against Covid-19. Since the last year, we have been consistent in our efforts towards fighting COVID-19, since this unprecedented crisis struck our country and the world. Very importantly, we have also come to realise that holding up the release of a pre-shot film may not help us in any way but using its proceeds towards fighting the pandemic is a more suitable and pragmatic approach. ‘Radhe’s’ release on ZEE5 and ZeePlex will empower us to contribute more in these extremely difficult times,” said a spokesperson from SKF.
According to reports, India is being battered by a fierce second COVID-19 wave as daily infections rose by 382,315 on May 5.
Actors such as Khan have been using their celebrity to help frontline workers in Mumbai. Other Bollywood stars such as Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar and Swara Bhasker are constantly online to help those in distress.