Will Akshay Kumar’s Bell Bottom be able to release as per schedule on August 19? The Maharashtra government has given no clear indication of reopening movie theatres in the coming days or weeks.
So would the Bell Bottom release plans proceed as per schedule? Doubtful, say sources.
"The enthusiasm to release Bell Bottom on August 19 is at the moment, not matched by any move on the Maharashtra government’s part to re-open movie theatres. If movie theatres don’t re-open in Maharashtra, it's doubtful Bell Bottom will be released,” a leading trade expert tells me, as a pall of uncertainty shrouds the future, immediate and long-term, of the film trade .
With all the prevalent uncertainty, many movie theatres in Delhi and Andhra are either contemplating an immediate re-closure or have already shut shop due to lack of patronage.
Maharashtra's prominent film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi says, "Maharashtra is the home to the Hindi film industry. In spite of that being the case, it is extremely unfortunate that the Maharashtra government has not given permission for cinema halls to re-open. The last 18 months have been extremely harsh on cinema exhibition with virtually no movies of calibre in Hindi or from Hollywood. That has really brought the exhibitors' sector in Maharashtra to its knees. I think it is really critical for Maharashtra to not only reopen cinema halls but also to re-charge and re-energize them by giving them some kind of concrete relief. I truly hope that happens. Or we are staring at the last few nails in the coffin of the cinema exhibition sector."
“It’s a terrible situation. We don’t know if movie theatres will open, or stay open. And if they reopen will people venture into theatres with the second wave of the Covid still on and the third wave already knocking on our doors. If Bell Bottom finds it impossible to release on time we are ruined,” says Roshan Singh, a leading film exhibitor in Bihar.
Image source: IMDb, Instagram/akshaykumar
Image source: IMDb, Instagram/akshaykumar