Vashu Bhagnani will release Akshay Kumar starrer Bellbottom on 19th August in the cinemas even though cinemas in Maharashtra are still shut. That the film’s revenues will take a hit because the government of Maharashtra has not granted cinemas in the state permission to reopen is a given. But the closure of theatres in the state posed one more problem for the film’s producer, Vashu Bhagnani. There was no way for him to screen the film for the media in Bombay. But Vashu and Akshay were both keen that the media watch the film in all its 3D glory.
Multiplexes and single-screen cinemas in Maharashtra were vary of even allowing a press show of the film in their auditoria as, technically, cinemas don’t have the permission to conduct shows. And so, Akshay and Bhagnani decided to charter a plane and take the media from Bombay to Surat for a special screening of the film in 3D. Members of the fourth estate will be flown to the diamond city of India tomorrow (18th August) for a screening of Bellbottom in 3D at Inox. Now that’s what one would call style! It would almost seem that Akshay Kumar, who is seen stopping a running aeroplane, with his hands, in a trailer of the film, was doing it for the media to board it!!
It may be recalled that in 2003, Vashu Bhagnani had similarly chartered a plane to transport the media from Bombay to Delhi for the music launch of his Out Of Control in mid-air.
Incidentally, the advance booking of Bellbottom is impressive, wherever it has opened.