Coronavirus update: Sooryavanshi is postponed; safety comes first, says Akshay Kumar

Rohit Shetty's Sooryavanshi, featuring Akshay Kumar, has now been indefinitely postponed. The makers of the film had been discussing the possibility following the rising number of coronavirus infections across India. The decision was made public late on Thursday through social media. 

Lead star Akshay Kumar shared a statement from the producers on Twitter that read: 'Sooryavanshi is an experience that we have created for you with over a year of dedication and hard work, and the response that we have received for its trailer was nothing less than electrifying and made it clear that this film truly belongs to its audience...' 

The statement further said, 'We have been as excited as you are to present the film to you and your family, but due to the recent outburst of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we, the makers, have decided to postpone the release of your film Sooryavanshi, keeping in mind the health and safety of our beloved audience....'

Production houses had been discussing the possibility of postponing the release of Sooryavanshi as well as another upcoming big-budget feature, 83, starring Ranveer Singh. While Sooryavanshi was set to be released on 24 March, Kabir Khan's 83 is currently slated for release on 10 April.

With the postponement of the former, there is a chance that the Kabir Khan film might also see a change in the release date. Both films have Reliance Entertainment as one of the producers.

While the postponement of Sooryavanshi has been confirmed, no new release date has been set. The statement suggested that the makers are waiting for the global pandemic to subside before deciding on the new date. It said, 'And therefore, Sooryavanshi will be back for you when the time is right... After all, safety comes first.'

The announcement followed on the heels of the Delhi government's decision to close all cinema halls in the National Capital Region (NCR) till 31 March. The government of Kerala had made a similar decision earlier this week.

The number of people in India infected by the viral pandemic has grown to 73, including 10 in Maharashtra.