Lootcase’s theatrical release cancelled to avoid clash with The Sky Is Pink?

From Yash Raj’s most-anticipated movie WAR, which stars Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff, to Laal Kaptaan and Made In China, the entire month of October is jam-packed with content-driven movie releases. So much so that, many movies are set to lock horns at the box-office, like WAR and Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy on 2nd October or Saand Ki Aankh, Housefull 4 and Made In China on the 25th of October. Even Farhan Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra starrer The Sky is Pink will be sharing the box-office with Saif Ali Khan’s Laal Kaptaan and Kunal Kemmu’s Lootcase on the 11th October.

But, if a recent report from Bollywood Hungama is to be believed, Lootcase’s clash with the Shonali Bose directorial and Saif Ali Khan starrer might be averted. As per the entertainment website, a source close to project shared that the makers of the Kunal Kemmu starrer held a meeting on Saturday decided to not release the movie in the theatre’s but on an OTT platform. 

According to the source, the movie’s cast is not big enough to pull audiences to cinemas while receiving though competition from big-budget movies like War, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy and The Sky is Pink. The source further added that the producers are sceptical to release Lootcase after their last release, The Zoya Factor couldn’t even earn Rs. 3 crores in India. The source shared,

The makers had a meeting on Saturday and decided to not go ahead with the theatrical release of Lootcase. They are confident of the product but they are aware that the buzz is very low. Moreover, the star cast, though appealing, is not big enough to pull audiences to cinemas. Not to forget, there’s too much competition in the form of War, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy and Joker releasing this week on October 2 and The Sky Is Pink releasing on October 11, the day Lootcase was scheduled to arrive. It’s also pre-Diwali period, when people are busy with shopping and other activities and turnout anyway is low. All these factors would have affected the collections of Lootcase, even if it gets positive word of mouth. Fox Star Studios recently burnt their hands with the Sonam Kapoor-Dulquer Salmaan starrer The Zoya Factor. It didn’t even collect Rs. 3 crores in India. As a result, they are over cautious with Lootcase and don’t want to have back-to-back commercial disasters in their filmography. Hence, when they got a lucrative offer from a streaming platform, they went ahead and cancelled the theatrical release. Everyone is not happy with the decision as they were looking forward to the theatrical release of Lootcase. But this is business and practicality will overrule emotions at the end of the day.

- As quoted by Bollywood Hungama, a source shares

Well with the rise of various OTT platforms and the increase in number of avid movies and web-series watchers, many small-budget movies too are released on such platforms to attract the right kind of audience. The latest to join the bandwagon was Dharma productions’ Drive, which stars Sushant Singh Rajput and Jacqueline Fernandez. 

If, what Bollywood Hungama reported is true, it might be interesting to see how the Kunal Kemmu starrer will be received on OTT platform by the audience.

Stay tuned for more updates!