The streaming platform Hotstar (USA) and Disney+Hotstar (India) announced today that it will premiere not one, but seven brand new Hindi films. These movies were originally scheduled to release in theaters. But due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the makers have opted for a direct to OTT release. Disney+Hotstar held a virtual event on it’s social media platforms to make the formal announcement with stars Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Abhishek Bachchan and moderated by Varun Dhawan.
The premieres include ‘Laxxmi Bomb’ starring Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani, The war drama ‘Bhuj: The Pride Of India’ starring Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt and Sonakshi Sinha, ‘Sadak 2’ starring Sanjay Dutt, Pooja Bhatt, Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur, ‘The Big Bull’ starring Abhishek Bachchan and Ileana D’Cruz, ‘Dil Bechara’ starring the late Sushant Singh Rajput and Sanjana Sanghi, ‘Lootcase’ starring Kunal Khemmu and Rasika Duggal and ‘Khuda Haafiz’ starring Vidyut Jamwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi. All these films will be part of the platforms new ‘Multiplex’ strand which will roll out these titles from July through October.
Uday Shankar, president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman of Star / Disney India said, “We thought why not use the opportunity of the pandemic to create a big, alternative world of exhibition, and create a network of virtual theatres – private theatres in everybody’s homes, and that is what we are doing today,” said Shankar. “We’ve got all these illustrious actors, the flag bearers of our industry, A-class creative people who have come here with their films. People can do exactly what they’ve been doing, watch movies first day, first show, at home. We should not see this as a short term tactical compromise. We should see this as a very big leap for the industry,”.
