Exclusive: Bhool Chuk Maaf gets direct OTT release amid Indo-Pak tensions, will other theatrical releases follow suit?

Days after the horrific terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 people, India carried out a retaliatory strike against terror hideouts in Pakistan at midnight on May 7, named Operation Sindoor.

The Indian Army targeted nine terror locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Since the strike, tensions have escalated on both sides of the border. Owing to the current situation, the makers of Bollywood film Bhool Chuk Maaf, starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi, have decided to cancel the film’s theatrical release.

Backed by Maddock Films, the movie will now release on May 16 directly on Prime Video. This decision has been well-received by fans and trade analyst Ramesh Bala, who called it a wise move.

Speaking exclusively with WION, Bala talked about the strategic move and said, ''I think because of the tensions, the entire North India and Northern states are on high alert. People are also focusing too much on the news, and their minds are not focused on entertainment. So, it's a good decision,'' he said.

''This movie is like a small or medium budget movie, not like a big blockbuster like Shah Rukh Khan's movie or something. So, it's good that it goes directly to the OTT because people, anyway, this Friday they will be preoccupied with all the news and, where the attack his happening and this and that. So, I think, in a way, it's good that it is going directly to OTT next Friday and skipping the theatrical release,'' Bala added. 

In recent months, Bollywood has been witnessing a slump at the box office, with most Hindi-language movies failing to draw large audiences to cinemas. However, there have been exceptions — Vicky Kaushal’s Chaava performed well, and currently, Ajay Devgn's Raid 2 is earning decent numbers. 

When asked about the same, Bala said,'' Generally, Bollywood is going through a rough patch and hasn't seen too many hits. After Chaava, I think Raid 2 is doing well. But generally, small movies, medium budget movies, and even big star movies are not guaranteed successes. We have seen a lot of failures in the last few months.''

Explaining why filmmakers are preferring a direct OTT release, Bala added, ''If the makers are going to release it theatrically, even if they earn a few crores. Sometimes what happens is when you go for direct release, earlier if they were offered a price, say, Rs 25 crores for post-theatrical OTT, if it is direct OTT, they would have given Rs 40 crores or something like that. So, they would have gotten more money than how much share they would have made theatrically, They would have gotten a good deal because it is now direct OTT and there is no theatrical window.''

He added, 'In a way, it would have made more sense for the producers; it is very difficult to judge the audience's response, whether they will come or they will not. And, for this movie also, the booking has been soft. It is not like a big blockbuster or something. So, naturally, it will open slowly, and if the word of mouth was good, it would have done better. But right now, because of all the tensions, there is no guarantee that the audience will show up at the theatres.''

Bankrolled by Maddock Films, Bhool Chuk Maaf revolves around a young man, Ranjan (Rao), who is deeply in love with his girlfriend, Titli (Gabbi). The couple is set to get married. But things change overnight when Ranjab gets stuck in a time loop.

In a statement issued on Thursday morning, Maddock Films said, “In light of recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation, we at Maddock Films and Amazon MGM Studios have decided to bring our family entertainer, Bool Chuk Maaf, directly to your homes on May 16- only on Prime Video, worldwide.