Earlier this week, producer Ratan Jain announced that Hungama 2, the sequel to Priyadarshan’s 2003 laugh riot of the same name, will have a digital premiere on Disney+ Hotstar. While the Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Paresh Rawal and Meezaan Jafri starrer was originally designed for the big screen, the theatre shutdown across most states in the country has led the makers to take the web route.  

The decision is disappointing for Priyadarshan, who was set to return to Bollywood after his last Hindi release, Rangrezz (2013). Speaking to mid-day from Chennai, the National Award-winning filmmaker says, “I am naturally disappointed as it’s the kind of film that people will enjoy watching together. It is my first Bollywood movie after eight years, and I was looking forward to it releasing in theatres. It is not meant for people to watch alone at home. But you cannot blame anybody. How long can a producer wait for theatres to open? There are about 70 films ready to release, so where will they get the platform? I am confident about the product. It’s a comedy entertainer, and I have made some good films in the genre, including Malamaal Weekly [2006], Hulchul [2004], Hera Pheri [2000] and Khatta Meetha [2010].”

The film’s post-production has been stalled due to the ongoing lockdown. “While the shoot and edit are complete, sound mixing and a bit of dubbing is left. I have shut down my Chennai studio. Hopefully, we can complete the post-production after a month,” says the director, who has recreated Shetty’s hit number, Chura Ke Dil Mera, in the comedy.