Big screen goes blank: Five movies delayed as Covid-19 lockdown curbs grow

Moviegoers will have to wait longer for big-ticket Hindi films as producers decide to delay releases amid a resurgent Covid-19 wave across key cinema-viewing states.

Maharashtra has localised lockdowns and night curfew in place; and restrictions are increasing in states such as Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi as the daily caseload increases.

In the last one week, five movies — including Chehre, with Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi in lead roles, and Bunty Aur Babli 2, a Yash Raj production featuring Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherji — have been postponed. Both were to be released in April.

Others include Haathi Mere Saathi, the Hindi version of Tamil-Telugu film Kaadan, which was released in the southern markets on March 26.

Ram Gopal Varma’s D Company and Punjabi film Puaada will also not see the scheduled April release, sources in the film exhibition industry say.

Multiplex operators are hoping the spate of postponements does not spill into May, when big releases such as Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi and Radhe, featuring Salman Khan, are expected. Both the movies have been delayed by a year and pushing their release dates further could upset their prospects at the box office.

“The Covid-19 situation is a concern. But we are hoping there are no more postponements of films that have been announced by producers since the vaccination drive is growing,” says Cine­po­lis India CEO Devang Sampat.

“Consider Godzilla vs Kong, the Hollywood film that was released in India on March 24. The collections were heartening and crossed the Rs 32-crore mark over the extended Holi weekend. I am hoping film producers will take note of this,” Sampat adds.

Trade experts say Godzilla vs Kong, produced by Warner Bros, did well on account of its Tamil and Telugu versions. “Southern markets have been performing well since January. This points to pent-up demand,” says Kunal Sawhney, senior vice-president, operations, Carnival Cinemas. Besides Tamil and Telugu, Godzilla vs Kong released in Hindi, English.

The four southern markets are expected to see big releases through the holiday season of April and May, in continuation of the trend visible since January.

Master, a Tamil film released during Pongal, was the first big hit of the year, reporting collections in excess of Rs 200 crore.

Another big title that has not shifted its release date yet is Kangana Ranaut-starrer Thalaivi. It is scheduled to hit theatres on April 23 in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.