With Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana’s new film ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ premiering directly on the web platform Amazon Prime on June 12, this radical move could signal a new reality for Bollywood movie fans. They now have the freedom to watch films in the privacy of their homes. The limitation of watching new movies on relatively smaller screens may be a dampener for many , but popular filmmakers in the commercial blockbuster space are now looking at web platforms as their new ticket to success during coronavirus pandemic.
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With cinema halls being shut since April for safety reasons during coronavirus pandemic times, filmmakers and producers are now contemplating a different reality where they can generate money through online platforms. Usually, there’s at least an eight-week window between a theatrical release and a digital release. But we are looking at an altered reality now.
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Instead of waiting for a theatrical window to open up in cinema halls, some filmmakers are thinking of releasing their films directly online. According to industry sources, the UAE cinemas are likely to open its doors in June but no official confirmation has been received. While films with humongous budgets like director Rohit Shetty’s cop drama ‘Sooryavanshi’ starring Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan’s ‘Radhe’ may still release in the cinemas, small-budget films may not enjoy the same liberty. Star-driven vehicles often guarantee a bumper opening at the box-office, but the scenario isn’t so bright for medium budget to small budget films. As we gear up to enjoy ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ on a streaming platform like Amazon Prime, here’s a look at the films that are likely to release on streaming platforms directly:
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Ghoomketu: Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Anurag Kashyap feature in this film, a tale about an amateur writer who heads to Mumbai to pursue his dreams. It was meant to release this summer in the theatres, but the movie will release on May 22 on Zee 5. Ghoomketu is written and directed by Pushpendra Nath Misra.
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Laxxmi Bomb: This Hindi horror comedy starring Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar was meant to be an Eid release, but due to the closure of cinemas during coronavirus times, the makers are in talks with Disney+Hotstar to release it digitally. Although, there’s no confirmation on the release date, this development is likely to be significant one for Bollywood where a bankable star like Kumar opts for a web release. Laxxmi Bomb, the re-make of the Tamil film Kanchana, was partly filmed in Dubai.
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Ludo: Directed by Anurag Basu, this ensemble film starring actors such as Abhishek Bachchan, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Fatima Sana Sheikh and Sanya Malhotra was scheduled to release in April. But the quarantine and cinema closures has forced Basu to make some touch calls. They are in talks with two streaming giants and working towards culling out a deal.The movie is ready.
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Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl: It’s almost certain that Janhvi Kapoor’s upcoming film Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, a movie that chronicles the triumph and trials of the first female Indian pilot to fly in combat during Kargil War, will release online first. The movie, which was scheduled to release in mid March in the theatres, also stars Pankaj Tripathi, Viineet Kumar Singh and Angad Bedi.
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Khaali Peeli: Starring Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Pandey, this romantic drama seems to have the trappings of a feature that’s perfect for an online release. Its premise is bizarre and quirky, making it a perfect fit for an online film. Produced by Ali Abbas Zafar and Himanshu Mehra, the story of the encounter of two people in a single night forms the crux of KP.
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