As ‘Gulabo Sitabo’, ‘Shakuntala Devi’ take the digital route, PVR requests producers to hold back film’s release till theatres open – Times of India

Theatres were one of the first places that were shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic and with no conclusiveness as to when things will return to normalcy, several Bollywood filmmakers have decided to release their movies directly on the digital platform. Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana starrer ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ was the first to announce the film being streamed on a digital platform, followed by Vidya Balan starrer ‘Shakuntala Devi’.

Expressing disappointment, CEO of PVR Pictures, Mr Kamal Gianchandani told PTI, “We are confident, once we get to the other side of this crisis, there will be enough and more pent up demand from cine goers who have been cooped up at homes for the last many weeks. We are likely to see demand by force on a sustained basis, once we reopen. Needless to say, we are disappointed with some of our producers deciding to go straight to streaming platforms. We were hoping that the Producers would accede to our request to hold back their film’s release till cinemas reopen.”

Previously, multiplex chain INOX had expressed “extreme displeasure and disappointment” in a statement, without naming the film and had also spoken about “taking retributive measures, in dealing with such fair-weather friends”.