The biggies that were patiently awaiting their chance in movie theatres have one by one by one decided to shift loyalties to the digital platform.
The latest on that front is director Ranjit Tiwari’s period thriller Bell Bottom featuring Akshay Kumar in the lead. The producers Nikkhil Advani and Pooja Entertainment had categorically denied any plans to opt for the digital option.And the film was poised for a theatrical release.
But now seeing the way the Covid crisis is heading, chances of Bell Bottom keeping its 28 May release date in movie theatres seems impossible.
The film is now being sold to Disney Hotstar for an early digital premiere.
Confirming this development, producer Nikkil Advani says, “I believe it is being considered. But the final monetizing lies with Pooja Entertainment.”
We hear the price that Disney-Hotstar has offered the producers is close to Rs 170 crores . Interestingly this is Disney-Hotstar’s second premium acquisition featuring Akshay Kumar. Laxmii which was acquired at an astronomical amount had a disastrous premiere on Disney-Hotstar on November 2020.