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Blocked buster
Hindustan Times Bengaluru
|May 25, 2025
The tussle between theatrical dates and streaming release has entered a new phase, with a Rs 60-crore lawsuit thrown in
When Maddock Films decided to take Bhool Chuk Maaf straight to streaming, they probably didn't think it would lead to a Rs 60-crore lawsuit.
Tensions between India and Pakistan were high around the original release date, May 9. The Indian Premier League had been suspended. This, the producers felt, was not an ideal time to release, in theatres, a mid-sized comedy with no A-listers on its cast.
The theatre owners were livid, a mood no doubt exacerbated by the fact that Maddock announced its decision to go straight to streaming on May 8, a day before the scheduled theatrical release.
In a time of steadily declining footfall for cinemas, the new Maddock film had shimmered with possibility. This production company has served up a number of surprise hits in recent years, including the comedy horrors Munjya (2024) and Stree 2 (2024). It was also behind this year's biggest blockbuster so far, Chhaava.
This story is from the May 25, 2025 edition of Hindustan Times Bengaluru.
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