Salman Khan and Zee Studios’ Radhe will keep its date with the public on Eid this year but instead of releasing only in cinemas, it will have a simultaneous theatrical-OTT release on 13th May. In other words, the release date is intact but the OTT platform release will be alongwith the theatrical release. Since Zee has acquired the all-world rights (including theatrical, digital and satellite) of the Salman Khan starrer and since Zee has its own OTT platform, ZeePlex, it was feasible for Zee to take this decision of a multi-platform release.
Alongwith cinemas, Radhe, directed by Prabhudeva, will be available from 13th May on ZeePlex as well as four DTH networks — Tata Sky, D2H, Dish and Airtel. Put differently, the audience can opt to pay and watch the film either in the cinema or on one of the four DTH networks or on ZeePlex. Zee has not taken this decision in isolation. It has arrived at this release formula after taking producer-star Salman Khan into confidence and also after holding discussions with the national multiplex chains. Although multiplex chains like PVR, Inox and Cinepolis have preferred to maintain a stance of “no comments”, the fact is that they were all informed by Zee about what it was intending to do. As a top official of a top national multiplex chain said, “One really doesn’t know what the scene will be on 13th May. So there is really nothing to comment.” A spokesman of another multiplex chain said, “It’s about the flow of films. Many multiplex chains have shut their multiplexes because there are no new film releases. With cinemas ordered to be shut in various states, it doesn’t make sense for us to keep cinemas open in areas where they are allowed to remain open, because where are the films to screen? Therefore, we can only wait and watch.”
For those who think, Zee’s move is not well-planned, here is why Zee has done what it has done. The scene in India as far as COVID-19 is concerned is bad. But internationally, there are at least three markets which give hope that Radhe might be able to reap a rich harvest in the scenario today. Cinemas in the UK are planning to reopen on 10th May, just before Radhe hits the screens. Cinemas in the UAE are already functional, and it doesn’t need to be overemphasised that the UAE is a huge market for Salma starrers. Cinemas in North America are also doing quite well. As an official of Zee remarked, “In fact, the decision to release Radhe on multiple platforms was taken for several reasons, one of which was the rosy picture that the Overseas market presents for the film. Besides, Salman and Zee had committed to bring the film before the public on Eid, and we wanted to keep that promise which we had made to the people.”
One can be sure that DTH platforms like Tata Sky, D2H, Dish and Airtel will offer subscription schemes to the public by offering them the carrot of Radhe. After all, it is not for nothing that the film’s tagline reads: ‘Your Most Wanted Bhai’.