Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi postponed yet again, Rohit Shetty takes 'difficult decision' amid rising COVID-19 cases
Rohit Shetty has decided to delay Sooryavanshi given the surge in COVID-19 cases. The film , starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, was supposed to arrive in theatres on April 30.
The makers of Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif-led Sooryavanshi on Monday announced they have postponed the film's release date indefinitely owing to the surge in the coronavirus cases in Maharashtra. The decision came a day after Maharashtra government announced night curfew and a weekend lockdown to curb the rising COVID-19 cases in the state, under which theatres will remain shut till April 30, which is Sooryavanshi's release date.
The film's team, in its official statement, termed the decision taken by director Rohit Shetty "brave and difficult". Shetty informed Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray his decision in a virtual meeting held on Sunday, according to the statement.
"The Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Uddhav Thackeray had a discussion with director Rohit Shetty yesterday. In the meeting, Mr Uddhav Thackeray appreciated Rohit Shetty as he took the brave and difficult decision of postponing Sooryavanshi owing to the current COVID situation in the state," read the makers' statement.
Big-budget cop actioner Sooryavanshi was supposed to arrive in theatres on April 30, more than a year after its original release date of March 24, 2020. The first delay was also caused by the pandemic as the nationwide lockdown forced shut theatres across the country. On October 15 last year, however, theatres were allowed to resume operations, at 50 percent occupancy. The Sooryavanshi team then waited for the occupancy cap to increase. In February 2021, the central government announced increase in occupancy, which encouraged production houses to schedule their films for theatres.
Subsequently, Sooryavanshi team announced April 30 as its release date. The primary cast and the makers had also announced large scale promotions due in April. There's no word yet on the new release date. Sooryavanshi, produced by Rohit Shetty, Karan Johar and Reliance Entertainment, also stars Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh in pivotal roles, as Rohit Shetty aimed to complete its cop universe that began with Singham in 2011, followed by Singham Returns (2014) and Simmba (2018).