Sooryavanshi release, 83 release: While several films are opting for a direct digital release during the coronavirus pandemic, Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh-starrer 83 will go for the traditional theatrical release, movie critic and film trade analyst Taran Adarsh wrote in a tweet. A report in the IE also quoted cinema chains like PVR, Wave Cinemas, Carnival Cinemas and INOX as confirming the development. The development comes a day after Disney Plus Hotstar announced that as many as seven Bollywood films, including Sadak 2, Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer Dil Bechara, Laxxmi Bomb, Bhuj: The Pride of India, Lootcase, The Big Bull and Khuda Haafiz would be released in digitally.

According to Adarsh’s tweet, Rohit Shetty’s directorial Sooryavanshi has so far been slated for a Diwali release, while Kabir Khan’s 83 would likely be released on Christmas, even as there is no information about when cinema halls would be allowed to resume operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

PVR Cinemas and INOX also tweeted about the development via their official handle.

The IE report stated that the CEO of Reliance Entertainment Group Shibashish Sarkar said the group was committed to bringing both the films to the cinemas whenever the exhibitors are allowed to operate and when the audience feels that it is safe to go back to movie theatres. He added that he felt and hoped that by the time these festivals come around, the situation would be back to normal.

Sooryavanshi is a part of Rohit Shetty’s cop universe, which also included Singham and Simmba, and it was originally slated for a March-27 release, but was postponed due to the pandemic and the resultant lockdown. The film stars Akshay Kumar in the titular role and also includes Gulshan Grover, Jackie Shroff, Katrina Kaif, Sikander Kher and Abhimanyu Singh.

Ranveer Singh-starrer 83 is a Kabir Khan directorial and it is about India’s maiden win in the Cricket World Cup under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. Also starring Deepika Padukone, Pankaj Tripathi, Hardy Sandhu, and Saqib Saleem, the film was originally scheduled to release on April 10, but was indefinitely postponed by the makers on March 20.