BellBottom gets a re release in Maharashtra theatres as they reopen: Is this strategy to re-release films effective?

Theatres reopening? Check. New films set for a release? Check. But until these new titles arrive, which begins with Sooryavanshi on November 5, it seems theatres are testing the waters by re releasing films. BellBottom is one of them, which re released across Maharashtra from October 22.

What difference is it going to make to a film which is already present on an OTT platform now? Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi believes this is a ‘warm up’ for what we will witness later. “This will in some sense help them streamline whatever issues that may be there, the teething troubles because cinemas in Maharashtra are re opening after so long. This will prepare them for what will start happening Diwali onwards,” he says. Chehre and Thalaivi, too were films that couldn’t release in Maharashtra despite releasing in other states across the country.

The producers meanwhile say that this decision is overwhelming for them. Jackky Bhagnani tells us, “BellBottom has been a very special film for all of us, its journey right from its making to its release has been overwhelming. I am very happy to know that cinema halls are reopening in Maharashtra and even happier that so many films have announced their release dates. Keeping my fingers crossed- it’s a great news for industry and we positively look forward to watching more films in cinema halls.”

Adil Hussain, who starred in the film in an important role, meanwhile was not aware of the re release. He says, “I had no idea, nobody told me about it. I came to know to know through Twitter, someone tagged me and said ‘we are on our way to cinema halls’, which is very interesting.”

Trade circle is of the opinion that there is no benefit of releasing an old release at this point. Trade expert Atul Mohan says other films that released in the recent times, like Thalaivi, could release once again, “They can try their hand, but I don’t see any benefit of releasing a film which had released theatrically and then on OTT. Theatres are still going empty, and some may not be able to get fresh films if terms don’t match. So they will have to re release until the other films start arriving, to fill the gap.”