The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, which has adversely affected every industry in the world, might change how Bollywood plans its release calendar in the near future. After Gulabo Sitabo, which is scheduled for its direct-to-digital release on 12th June on Amazon Prime Video, we see a number of other production houses and makers are following suit and opting for digital premieres for their movies which were originally planned for a theatrical release like never before.
The latest film which may release directly on OTT is the much-awaited film Laxmmi Bomb, starring superstar Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani in lead roles. If reports are to be believed, the horror-comedy has been acquired by Hotstar Specials for a humongous ₹125 crore. It was originally slated to enter theatres on Eid 2020.
“It is true that the film will now be premiering on Hotstar. Although there was a bit of disagreement initially, everyone is on the same page now. The movie will indeed be releasing online,” a source in the know informs an entertainment portal.
An official statement announcing the digital premiere of Laxmmi Bomb is expected to arrive soon. “The team needs a month to prepare the project. A bit of post-production work remains and they are waiting for the lockdown to get over. So the film won’t hit the OTT platforms at least till a month after the lockdown is lifted. So the release date is not decided yet,” adds the source.
If Laxmmi Bomb has indeed been sold for a massive ₹125 crore, it is already in the profitable zone. The source says before signing off, “Laxmmi Bomb has been sold for a staggering ₹125 crore. But while the number is huge considering digital rates, what one must not forget is that it had the potential of earning over ₹200 crore at the box office, despite a clash with Salman Khan’s Radhe. So the total revenue that the team will make out of it, is much less.”
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