Akshay Kumar’s Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh’s 83 may release on OTT

New Delhi: As Unlocking the nation is in the process it’s still difficult to predict that when we will be able to watch movies on the big screens. Six months down the line and there still seems to be no clear date for things to go back to normal. The coronavirus pandemic has left a major impact on several sectors of the industry. However, the entertainment sector is one of the worst-hit of all as it resulted in the production work as well as releases of several films going on hold.

As one by one all the pending films, big or small, are succumbing to the digital temptation we have from informed sources that Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi and Kabir Khan’s 83, both produced by Reliance Entertainment, may also release on OTT platform.

Reliance Entertainment CEO Shibasish Sarkar has said that in the scenario that theatres fail to open up by a certain time, the films could possibly be rolled out on streaming platforms.’

He told Bollywood Hungama, “We are 100% inclined to take theatrical route. However, at the same time, we don’t want to delay the release further than practically possible. That means we will not like to push release dates beyond Diwali / Christmas. So the first option is to go theatrical if cinemas open up and audiences are back.”

“Basically we will not like to shift release date further…. and ideally look for theatrical or any other hybrid measure for the best possible release,” he said.

There has been no information on when cinema theatres will be allowed to reopen in the country.

Directed by Kabir Khan, sports drama 83 chronicles India’s first World Cup win under Kapil Dev’s captaincy in 1983. Ranveer Singh plays Kapil Dev in the film which also features Hardy Sandhu, Tahir Bhasin, Jiva, Saqib Saleem and Pankaj Tripathi among others. Deepika Padukone essays Kapil Dev’s wife Romi. The film was initially scheduled to release in April but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ranveer’s look from the film had drawn praise for his uncanny similarity to Kapil Dev.

Watch 83’s first look here:

Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi, yet another addition to the cop franchise, was scheduled for a March release. It stars Akshay Kumar in the titular role along with Katrina Kaif, Gulshan Grover, Abhimanyu Singh, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher. Sooryavanshi is the third film in Rohit’s cop universe after Ajay Devgn’s Singham and Ranveer Singh-starrer Simmba. This is Akshay and Rohit’s first project together. Ajay and Ranveer are reprising their characters for extended cameos in the film.

Watch Sooryavanshi’s trailer here: