Mumbai: The release plans of Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan’s much-awaited film Bhooth Bangla have taken a surprising turn. Originally scheduled for cinemas on April 10, the film will now arrive a week later on April 17. While the makers have kept things calm in the public domain, the real reason behind this shift has been subject of intense discussion in the trade circle.
At the center of this delay is the unstoppable box office run of Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge, which continues to dominate screens across India even weeks after its release.
Dhurandhar 2’s Screen Dominance Changes the Game
Trade insiders reveal that the delay is not just a routine date shift, but is the result of strong pressure from exhibitors linked to the massive performance of Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge. The distributor of the film, Jio studios, took clear firm stand to gain maximum screens and shows for their blockbuster, it is learnt.
According to industry sources, a demand was made by multiplex chains to ensure around 10,000 shows for Dhurandhar 2 in the week for which Bhooth Bangla was slated to release. If they did not meet this demand, they risked losing access to the film’s digital key delivery system during its fourth week. Considering the historic earnings the film made and the strong footing, exhibitors weren’t willing to take that chance.
Even single screen theatres were expected to continue running Dhurandhar 2 across all shows, leaving very little room for new releases.
Bhooth Bangla Makers Choose to Avoid a Clash
The team behind Bhooth Bangla reportedly pushed hard to retain the April 10 release date. Their argument was simple. By that time, Dhurandhar 2 would have already crossed the Rs 1000 crore mark, and they were only asking for a standard release size that most mid-scale Akshay Kumar films receive.
However the situation became an obvious power play. With Jio Studios wanting to solidify its stance as a dominant distributor in the country, there wasn’t much of a choice for exhibitors other than to agree to their terms.
Rather than getting entangled in a messy confrontation, Akshay Kumar and his team chose to take a safer option. By shifting the film to April 17th, they are assuring a more balanced release with a higher availability of screens, and less on the same weekend.
The episode highlights how box office success can reshape release strategies overnight. While fans will have to wait a little longer for Bhooth Bangla, the move could ultimately help the film get the space it needs to perform well.
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