Arjun Kapoor-Saif's 'Bhoot Police' to release directly on Disney+ Hotstar?
With the second wave wreaking havoc on the nation, many filmmakers are taking the OTT route. It seems Bhoot Police, starring Arjun Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Yami Gautam, is also headed the same path, and will not have a theatrical release, as per recent speculations. Previously, it was reported that the film will come out in theaters in September this year.
Producer has already done a verbal agreement with Disney+ Hotstar
According to a source, producer Ramesh Taurani has already done a verbal agreement with the steaming service Disney+ Hotstar, and the paperwork is due soon. "Disney+Hotstar is on an acquisition spree again, speaking to multiple producers. If all goes as planned, they will announce a slate of Hindi releases for their platform, in the same manner as they did in 2020," the source added.
Reason: 'Only event films will get cash registers ringing'
The source close to the development informed that the decision was taken keeping in mind the uncertainty arising due to the spike in COVID-19 cases. They also added, "The cinema consumption habit has also changed for the audience significantly and only event films will get the cash registers ringing to start with. Hence, Ramesh Ji decided to take a direct to digital route."
'Bhoot Police' to be a horror-comedy, actors play 'ghostbusters'
Bhoot Police has been touted as a horror-comedy but not much is known apart from its cast, and that the foursome play 'ghostbusters' in the movie. It went on floors in November 2020, and was mostly shot in Himachal Pradesh. The shooting wrapped up in January this year. The film has been directed by Pavan Kripalani, known for horror movies like Ragini MMS, Phobia.
Many movies, also big-budget ones, are taking the OTT route
If the deal materializes, Bhoot Police will be the second direct-to-OTT release for Arjun Kapoor this year. Sardar Ka Grandson was his first that premiered on Netflix on May 18, which got poor reviews. Previously, Salman Khan's Radhe was forced to take the digital route, but the film released on a pay-per-view format on ZEE5. Soorarai Pottru, IMDb's third-highest rated film, also opened digitally.
