Mukesh Bhatt says he is ‘compelled’ to release Sadak 2 on an OTT platform

There has been some chatter on social media about Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak 2 (2020) being released directly on an OTT (over-the-top) platform. Now, producer Mukesh Bhatt has confirmed that the film will indeed be released on Disney+ Hotstar.

Mukesh Bhatt told The Indian Express newspaper, “It [the number of COVID-19 cases] is increasing day by day instead of subsiding. In this situation, do you think theatres will reopen? And even if they do and Sadak 2 is released, will people go and watch it? People have to protect their families. Today, life is more important.”

The producer said he was forced to make the decision to release his film on an OTT platform even though he always prefers a theatrical release. “I am compelled to come [to a digital platform] because I don’t see any light in the near future," Mukesh Bhatt told the paper. "This is the best I can do to survive. There are certain things that you do not out of choice but out of compulsion. This is the only option left. It is a no-brainer.”

Sadak 2 is a sequel to Mahesh Bhatt’s 1991 hit film Sadak (1991), which starred Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Bhatt. The sequel will see Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur added to the original star cast. The film also marks Mahesh Bhatt’s return as director after 20 years. His previous film as director was Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan (1999).

Despite the 'compulsion', Mukesh Bhatt believes new films being released directly on OTT platforms is a temporary phase. “Now that films are releasing on OTT, it doesn’t mean theatres will shut down," he said. "People need an outing. Big-screen entertainment is fun. This is a temporary phase. We need to understand it rationally and not blast or put each other down. We should lift each other up.”