Since the brutal attack in Pahalgam last month, tensions between India and Pakistan have risen considerably. The situation escalated further when the Indian Army carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7 between 1 AM and 1:30 AM IST.
These tensions have begun to reflect in Bollywood. In a surprising twist, Maddock Films’ upcoming release, ‘Bhool Chuk Maaf,’ which was slated to release tomorrow (May 9), will now release directly on OTT next week. Maddock Films and producer Dinesh Vijan announced on Instagram that the film will skip its theatrical release and stream directly on OTT next week. Will this bold move by Maddock pay off or backfire? Let’s analyze the situation.
Bhool Chuk Maaf shifts to OTT
The Rajkumar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi and Seema Pahwa starrer will not be released in theatres now and will directly stream on Amazon Prime Video on 16th May, 2025. The last-minute change has left everyone surprised, but the Production House claims there are solid reasons behind the shift.
Taking to social media platforms, Maddock Films writes, “In light of recent events and heightened security drills, we have decided to take the OTT route”. The decision has been made keeping public safety and accessibility in mind.
This is the first time since the pandemic era that a major movie release will take place directly on OTT. Is this a one-off incident or will this become the norm for future? I guess we’ll find out.
Reasons behind the shift to OTT
While Maddock claims the current situation in the country is the only reason behind the shift, the public is divided in its views. Some claim that Maddock has smartly avoided releasing the movie in theatres as they weren’t getting screens for it while some say the production house was doubtful about the movie’s success. Although there are people who are lauding the decision and excited to watch the movie online, many expect it will be a paid release and available to rent for the first few weeks.
Smart Move or Will it Backfire?
Moving the film’s release to OTT platforms could be a smart move, as it avoids competing for theaters with Raid 2, allows for a wider audience, and makes OTT platforms more suitable for this type of experimental cinema.
Reasons for this potential fallout include the loss of the long-term impact a theatrical release generates, a decrease in revenue since the film would have grossed more if it had been a success in theaters, and some might view a direct-to-OTT release as a step backward. Additionally, Prime Video might ask subscribers to make an additional rental to watch the film upon its release, which could discourage some who prefer to wait for it to become available for free.
While OTT is a smart and safe choice for Bhool Chuk Maaf but whether this experiment will be successful or not, only the public reaction to the movie will tell.
Bhool Chuk Maaf: Cast & Crew
The movie stars Rajkumar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi in lead roles. Other prominent names include Zakir Hussain, Seema Pahwa, Sanjay Mishra, Raghubir Yadav, Ishtiyak Khan, Anubha Fatehpura, and more. It is directed by Karan Sharma and backed by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Studios.
Bhool Chuk Maaf: Plotline
Ranjan, a small-town romantic boy from Banaras, lands a government job to marry Titli but forgets his vow to Lord Shiva, only to be trapped until he fulfills his promise. A hilarious tale of love, fate, and redemption unfolds as he gets stuck in a time loop where he isn’t able to reach his wedding day.
Bhool Chuk Maaf: Trailer & Songs
The first trailer with a length of 2 minutes 51 seconds released a month ago. It has received 43 million plus views and 354k+ likes on YouTube. Watch the Trailer below.
Maddock has also released four songs from the movie so far: ‘Koi Naa’, ‘Chor Bazaari Phir Se’, ‘Sawariya Tera’, and ‘Ting Ling Sajna’./g
Bhool Chuk Maaf: Photo Gallery
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