Amazon’s Mega Announcement Pushes Distributors and Exhibitors into Distress

Leading OTT Major, Amazon Prime Video had announced nine more films that will skip their theatrical release and stream online directly. The films are lined up between October and December bringing doubts over the normalcy in theatrical business in the near future.

The line-up including Coolie No. 1 starring Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan, Rajkumar Rao starrer Chhalaang, Bhoomi Pednekar’s Durgavati, Anand Devarakonda starrer Middle-Class Melodies (Telugu), Madhavan starrer Maara (Tamil), Bheema Sena Nala Maharaja featuring Aravinnd Iyer, and Halal Love Story (Malayalam) among others will premiere on Amazon Prime Video.

Halal Love Story (Malayalam), which is scheduled to premiere on 15th October, and the last film, Coolie No. 1 is scheduled to premiere on the 25th of December. It can be seen that a big film like Coolie No. 1 is skipping the theatrical release even in December despite the fact that the theaters are allowed to open from October 15th.

Vijay Deverakonda’s Brother, Anand Deverakonda who made his debut with Dorsaani is releasing his second movie, Middle-Class Melodies on Amazon Prime Video. The movie will have its Online Premiere on November 15th i.e, the Diwali Season. This Mega announcement will push film distributors and exhibitors into further confusion. This will hit the morale of the trade which is trying to ensure theaters to open at least for Diwali or Christmas.