With the coronavirus pandemic shuttering theatres across the country since March, the fate of several big-budget films hangs in the balance. However, Reliance Entertainment expressed faith that Sooryavanshi and 83 will be able to stick to their scheduled release dates on Diwali and Christmas, respectively.

In an official statement shared on Twitter, Reliance Entertainment said, “We are very confident that the ongoing theatrical exhibition situation will improve much in time for the release of our awaited films, Sooryavanshi and 83, this Diwali and Christmas, respectively.”

We are very confident that the ongoing theatrical exhibition situation will improve much in time for the release of our awaited films, Sooryavanshi and 83, this Diwali and Christmas, respectively. pic.twitter.com/sHr0fhMgBm

— Reliance Entertainment (@RelianceEnt) August 23, 2020

Directed by Rohit Shetty, Sooryavanshi stars Akshay Kumar in the titular role, along with Katrina Kaif. Akshay will be seen as ACP Veer Sooryavanshi, chief of the anti-terror squad, on a mission to save Mumbai from a deadly terror attack.

Sooryavanshi also features a crossover with earlier films from Rohit Shetty’s cop universe – Singham and Simmba. Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh will make special appearances as Inspector Bajirao Singham and Inspector Sangram Bhalerao aka Simmba, respectively. The film was slated for a March release, but has been stalled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

83, directed by Kabir Khan, tells the story of the Indian cricket team’s spectacular victory at the 1983 World Cup. The film features an ensemble cast headed by Ranveer Singh, who will be seen as former captain Kapil Dev. Deepika Padukone will play his wife, Romi Bhatia.

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Recently, Reliance Entertainment CEO Shibasish Sarkar said that while they were keen on a theatrical release for Sooryavanshi and 83, they do not want to delay beyond the scheduled Diwali and Christmas releases. If theatres do not open by then, they might consider a direct-to-digital release, he said.

“We are 100% inclined to take the theatrical route. However, at the same time, we don’t want to delay the release further than practically possible. That means we will not like to push release dates beyond Diwali / Christmas. So the first option is to go theatrical if cinemas open up and audiences are back,” he told Bollywood Hungama in an interview.

“Basically we will not like to shift release date further…. and ideally look for theatrical or any other hybrid measure for the best possible release,” he added.

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