After weeks of speculations and countless media reports, it has finally been confirmed that Dharma Productions’ much-awaited outing Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl will skip its theatrical release and premiere directly on Netflix, one of the leading streaming media giants in the world.
Helmed by Sharan Sharma, the movie stars Janhvi Kapoor in the lead role. It is a biopic based on the life of IAF pilot Gunjan Saxena who, along with Flight Lieutenant Srividya Rajan, entered the Kargil war zone in 1999 to fly back injured soldiers from the battlefield. Apart from Janhvi Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi, Viineet Kumar, Manav Vij, and Ayesha Raza also essay important characters in the film.
Karan Johar, who has bankrolled the movie under Dharma Productions, said in a statement, “Gunjan Saxena is a defining film based on a true story about a woman who showed unparalleled courage, and inspiration to many in the coming years. We are excited to partner with Netflix and share this fearless story about following your heart and your dreams with millions around the world.”
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is one of the many Bollywood films which were originally slated for theatrical release but have opted for digital premiere due to the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown. Since nobody knows exactly when theatres will resume operations, a lot of filmmakers are eyeing a direct-to-digital release for their films which are ready in all aspects.
Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar’s Gulabo Sitabo, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana in lead roles, is the first high-profile Bollywood film which opted for a direct-to-digital premiere. The movie, set in Lucknow, is scheduled to premiere on 12th June on Amazon Prime Video.
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