Actor Akshay Kumar has two big releases slated for 2020 release - Laxmmi Bomb and Sooryavanshi. The former will release on Disney+Hotstar while the Rohit Shetty-directed cop drama will open in cinemas around Diwali. At a virtual press conference with news agency PTI, the Khiladi star said that though he's excited about the digital release of Laxmmi Bomb he's also "sad for theatres" and added, "movies are theatres' birth right." Akshay Kumar said, "To be honest, today I am excited for this platform. But yes, I'll say that I am also sad for theatres. After all, movies are theatres' first birth right. But in the current situation, everyone's safety is of utmost priority," reports PTI.
The theatres closed in March 2020 after the outbreak of coronavirus in India. "Today with theatres being shut and people watching movies on OTT platforms, if I can make my fans happy by releasing film on Disney+Hotstar, which is a big platform with a massive reach, then I am glad," Akshay said.
Apart from Sooryavanshi, theatrical release for Ranveer Singh '83, directed by Kabir Khan, has also been confirmed. The film based on India's historic cricket world cup victory in 1983 will release around Christmas. Sooryavanshi is the third film in Rohit Shetty cop-verse after Ajay Devgn's Singham series and Ranveer Singh's Simmba.
"We have decided to release Sooryavanshi during Diwali and '83 will come out during Christmas this year. We are committed to release these two films in theatres first. As and when the government and exhibitors open cinema halls and the environment is safe and secure for audience to come, these things will have to happen," Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO Reliance Entertainment, told PTI.
On Monday, Akshay Kumar along with actors Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn announced the release of seven films on Disney+Hotstar - Akshay's Laxmmi Bomb, Sadak 2 featuring Alia, Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt's Bhuj: The Pride of India, Abhishek Bachchan's The Big Bull, Vidyut Jammwal's Khuda Haafiz and Lootcase, starring Kunal Kemmu and Rasika Dugal.
Late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's Dil Bechara will be the first in Disney+Hotstar's line-up. The Mukesh Chhabra-directed film will stream on the platform starting July 24.
(With inputs from PTI)
