In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Akshay Kumar and Rohit Shetty have announced that the release of their upcoming film Sooryavanshi has been postponed until further notice. Producers Rohit Shetty Picturez have issued a statement saying,
“We have been as excited as you are to present the film to you and your family, but due to the recent outburst of the COVID-19 (coronavirus), we, the makers, have decided to postponse the release of your film ‘Sooryavanshi’, keeping in mind the health and safety of our beloved audience.”
“And therefore, Sooryavanshi will be back for you just when the time is right. After all, safety comes first. Until then, keep the excitement alive, take good care of yourself and stay strong. We shall pull through this,” it added.
Sooryavanshi was scheduled to hit theatres on 24 March. A fresh release date is yet to be announced.
The move to postpone Sooryavanshi comes shortly after the Delhi government on 12 March announced that all cinema halls in Delhi would be closed till 31 March.
Shibashish Sarkar, Group CEO of Reliance Entertainment, which is co-producing the film had earlier maintained that the film industry has taken cognisance of the Covid-19 outbreak and “are not in denial mode”. “With a number of cases being reported every day, it’s quite unstable. We are monitoring the situation closely,” he said.
After eight new coronavirus cases were reported in Kerala on Tuesday, 10 March, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan imposed restrictions on large gatherings of people across the state. The government has suggested shutting down cinema halls and barring film screenings, concerts and plays in Kerala till 31 March. Actor Mohanlal’s film Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, which was slated for a 26 March release, is likely to be postponed in light of these developments. Tovino Thomas has also issued a statement saying the release of his film Kilometers and Kilometers, which was scheduled for 12 March, has been stayed amidst the coronavirus threat. Similar restrictions have been imposed in Jammu.
Bollywood’s International Indian Film Academy Awards (IFFA Awards), which were to be held in Madhya Pradesh in March, have also been postponed over concerns around the spread of the coronavirus.
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