In the absence of theatres that were shut down due to the nationwide lockdown for the majority of last year, OTT platforms became the ultimate release medium for the movies that were shot and ready. Dozens of Hindi movies that could not wait for the reopening of cinema halls premiered straightly on the web. The number of direct-to-web releases might have reduced in the past couple of months with things slowly getting back to normal, however, many filmmakers are still opting for the digital premiere, skipping the mainstream theatrical release. The latest to join the worldwide web premiere bandwagon is Vidya Balan's much-awaited Sherni.
Peepingmoon.com has exclusively learned that Vidya Balan's Sherni that explores the human-wildlife conflict will directly premiere on Amazon Prime Video. The Abundantia Entertainment and T-Series production is believed to have been sold to the international streaming giant at a price similar to that of Shakuntala Devi: Human Computer, also starring Balan that premiered last July. The producers have apparently decided to skip the theatrical release considering the current situation that's getting unpredictable each passing day with India racing to contain a second wave of the coronavirus. The deal between the makers and Amazon Prime is said to have been more or less locked and they will make the announcement as soon as the paperwork is completed.
Directed by Newton fame Amit Masurkar and written by Aastha Tiku, Sherni will see Vidya Balan playing the role of a forest officer. Inspired by real-life incidents, the film has strong humourous undertones with Balan's character, along with a team of dedicated officers and forest guards, trying to find a solution to the man-animal conflict depicted in the film, while tracing her own journey. The film that also stars Vijay Raaz, Sharat Saxena, Neeraj Kabi, Ila Arun, Mukul Chadda, and Brijendra Kala among others was wrapped up early this year after shooting extensively in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh.
Interestingly, Amazon Prime is at the forefront of acquiring exclusive premiere rights of new movies even while most of the Hindi films are now heading to cinemas. The OTT service recently announced the premieres of three new Hindi titles — The Illegal on March 23, Hello Charlie on April 9 and Toofaan on May 21!
