Amid COVID wave,Radhe to come on Eid: to release simultaneously on multiple platforms worldwide

By Rajesh Ahuja

Amid a sharp surge in Covid cases in the country, superstar Salman Khan has decided to stick to release date of Eid for his film Radhe: The Most Wantrd Bhai , which will be the first big starrer to see a multiformat release and also a wide theatrical release internationally on May 13.

Realising that the evolving COVID situation in the country may only allow limited theatrical attendance, leaving many die-hard fans of Salman Khan unaddressed, ZEE Studios has devised a simultaneous multiplatform strategy for the film’s release.  

As part of the strategy, Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai will now be released in theatres worldwide; adhering to the COVID protocol issued by the government; and on ZEE5 with ZEE’s pay per view service ZEEPlex which rests on India’s leading OTT platform ZEE5 and also on all leading DTH operators i.e., Dish, D2H, Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV; giving audience multiple options to watch the film as per their comfort and convenience.

The film will have a theatrical release and will be available in theaters in all Indian states where the theaters are operational as per COVID protocols. A wide international theatrical release targeting 40 countries across all international territories including Middle East, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe is also being planned. 

It will also be the first Bollywood film to release theatrically in UK since the lockdown last year. The films can be viewed on ZEE5 on its pay per view service ZEEPlex. Zeeplex is also available on DTH platforms like Dish, D2H, Tata Sky and Airtel Digital TV. 

Radhe to stick to Eid release; to release simultaneously on multiple platforms worldwide on May 13

Speaking on the release strategy for the film, CBO of Zee Studios  Shariq Patel, said, 'the ongoing pandemic forced us to innovate, and we are proud to be the first to embark upon this new distribution strategy. While we all love to catch the latest movies at the nearest theatres, we realized we’d be doing a disservice to Salman’s fans nationwide if we aren’t able to release theatrically in all Indian states.

We sensed the need for a pay per view solution along with theatres, which gives the consumers flexibility and convenience of viewing the film. There cannot be a better film than Radhe to offer the audiences who’ve been waiting for an out and out entertainer for over a year now. Radhe continues our network’s deep relationship with Salman Khan and we are looking to release the film in over 40 countries including theatrical release in major overseas markets.”

Speaking about the film's release, a spokesperson of Salman Khan Films' said, “It’s imperative that we all come together and think of out-of-the-box solutions for cinema as an industry during the current pandemic situation. We will support the theatre owners by releasing the film in as many theatres as we can, keeping in line with the rules and protocols laid down by the government. But, considering the guidelines and safety measures, we also need to devise ways to ensure that the film reaches all of our audience. We don't want to deny the audience the choice of entertainment in the comfort of their homes during these times."

 Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 India said, “We are thrilled to bring Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai on ZEE5, India’s multi-lingual online storyteller for millions of entertainment seekers. We feel immensely proud to give this movie scale that it deserves and take it to each and every online screen present in the country via ZEE5. Our endevaour has always been to bring a fresh perspective to storytelling and democratise access to ZEE5's extensive library of content spanned across genres and languages for audience to choose from. We are extremely excited to partner with Salman Khan and join him in making Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai this year’s biggest blockbuster.”

Directed by Prabhu Deva, Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai stars Salman Khan and Disha Patani in the lead and features Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles.

The movie , presented by Salman Khan films in association with ZEE Studios, is being produced By Salma Khan, Sohail Khan and Reel Life Production Private Limited.

The announcement of the release of the film on Eid as per schedule comes even as makers of big budget films like Haathi Mere Saathi, Bunty Aur Babli2, Chehre and Sooryavanshi have postponed the release of their films due to the worsening covid situation in the country.

The sharp surge in covid cases in many states in the country has also
put a question mark on release of mega starrers scheduled for release in cinemas in next few weeks like Satyamev Jayate 2  and 83.

https://raju0568.blogspot.com/2021/04/of-sooryavanshi-postponed-due-to-covid.html

The release announcement of the film comes as a breather for the film business, which has been witnessing poor footfalls in Cinema halls due to rising cases of COVID and restrictions imposed by Maharashtra government and other state governments, including night curfew and lockdown.

The worsening covid situation in the country, especially in Maharashtra, has adversely impacted the earnings of Bollywood films Roohi, Mumbai Saga, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, Saina, Koi Jaane Na and Flight.

https://raju0568.blogspot.com/2021/03/surge-collections-of-mumbai-saga.html

With the film business witnessing a slump, trade experts feel the Salman Khan starrer Radhe  could boost theatre revenues by bringing audiences to the theatres.

An action film directed by Prabhu Deva and produced by Salman Khan, Sohail Khan and Atul Agnihotri, Radhe  is among the most awaited films of 2021.