Theatres across Mumbai, the heart of the entertainment sector, are slated to lift the curtain this week after an unprecedented eight-month shutdown. Trade buzz indicates that Manoj Bajpayee, Diljit Dosanjh and Fatima Sana Shaikh's Diwali offering, Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari, may be the first new release to hit the marquee. As distributors and the makers are in the midst of charting the way forward, director Abhishek Sharma is keeping his fingers crossed. "Mumbai and Punjab are big markets for Hindi movies. We hope ours will be the first film to release," he says.

With the threat of the virus looming large and people being wary of going to public places, the first release may have its share of disadvantages. However, the director maintains an optimistic stance. "As far as I understand the mood of the country, people have been stuck at home for far too long and want entertainment. So, I hope it will translate into film business," he states, adding that cinemas are stringently following the standard operating procedures (SOPs). "The first set of audiences will see how the environment is completely safe, and that, in turn, will boost public morale. I am positive our film will grow through word of mouth."

The comedy, which sees a wedding detective hot on the heels of a prospective groom, is Sharma's ode to the good old '90s. "When Shokhi [Banerjee, writer] narrated the story, it was set in the current times. I suggested that we set the story in the '90s as there was no Internet or social media then. The idea of a private detective worked in such a premise. The film's humour is similar to that of Basu da's [Chatterjee] movies."