Movies Are the Birthright of Theatres: Akshay on OTT Releases

Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn talk about the release of movies on streaming platforms.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Disney+ Hotstar made a big announcement charting the online movie release plan from July to October. Akshay Kumar-starrer Laxmmi Bomb, Ajay Devgn’s Bhuj: The Pride of India, Abhishek Bachchan’s The Big Bull and Alia Bhatt’s Sadak 2 will be out on the streaming platform soon.

Talking about the release of films online, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar, in their virtual press conference Bollywood Ki Home Delivery, agreed that they will miss the jitters of a Friday release but agreed that online movie releases will bring in more work for the industry.

“We want our work to be out and have most people watch the films. We have a lot of talent in the industry. Because of the coronavirus lockdown, there are so many people who have work and so many who don’t. Maybe we’ll see lesser films in theatres but there'll be more films on OTT,” said actor Ajay Devgn, who is also a producer and owns a multiplex company.

Adding to that, Akshay Kumar said, “Movies will always be the first birthright of the theatres. But with the pandemic, we are seeing a situation where we have created this space where more and more audiences can enjoy what we make for them.”

“Filmmakers will have a choice on what to have on theatres or what to have on OTT. It's an opportunity for the film community,” says Uday Shankar, Chairman, Disney+ Hotstar.