With coronavirus cases rising by the day and theatres being shut, producer Mukesh Bhatt has confirmed to PTI that Mahesh Bhatt’s directorial Sadak 2 will have a digital release. Mukesh said that this was a decision he had been compelled to take given the uncertain future.
“The COVID-19 cases are increasing by thousands everyday. In this situation, even if theatres start functioning and Sadak 2 is released, will people go and watch the film? They will obviously think about the risk involved, and today life is much more important”.Mukesh Bhatt, Producer to PTI
Mukesh added that Sadak 2, a sequel to the 1991 film starring Pooja Bhatt and Sanjay Dutt, was an ambitious project meant for the big screen, but the makers will have to make peace with an OTT release in order to survive. “I don’t see things returning to normal anytime in future, so I am compelled to go in for a digital release of Sadak 2. There are certain things that you do, not out of choice but out of compulsion. This is the only option left. It is a no-brainer,” he added.
Sadak 2 is the latest addition to the growing number of films that are opting for OTT releases.
Shoojit Sircar’s Gulabo Sitabo was the first big-budget movie to release on Amazon Prime Video. Vidya Balan’s Shakuntala Devi and Janhvi Kapoor-starrer Gunjan Saxena will also be available on streaming platforms. A few days back Mukesh Chhabra announced that his directorial debut Dil Bechara, also Sushant Singh Rajput’s last film, will premiere on Disney+Hotstar on 24 July.
Sadak 2 will see Alia Bhatt collaborate with her father for the first time. The film also stars Aditya Roy Kapur and will bring back the original actors, Pooja and Sanjay.
(Inputs: PTI)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)