Salman Khan's Radhe to be released simultaneously in theatres and on Zee Plex on 13 May

The makers of the Salman Khan-starrer Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai have announced that the film will be released simultaneously in theatres and on the pay-per-view platform Zee Plex on 13 May.

Explaining the decision, Shariq Patel, chief business officer of Zee Studios, said in a statement, “The pandemic forced us to innovate, and we are proud to be the first to embark upon this new distribution strategy. While we all love to catch the latest movies at the nearest theatres, we realized we would be doing a disservice to Salman’s fans nationwide if we weren’t able to release the film theatrically in all Indian states. We sensed the need for a pay-per-view solution along with theatres, which gives the consumers the flexibility and convenience of viewing the film.”

About the film's reach, he added, “There cannot be a better film than Radhe to offer audiences who have been waiting for an out-and-out entertainer for over a year now. Radhe continues our network’s deep relationship with Salman Khan and we are looking to release the film in over 40 countries, including theatrical release in major overseas markets.” 

Directed by Prabhu Deva, Radhe also stars Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda, Jackie Shroff and Sapna Pabbi. 

A spokesperson for Salman Khan Films said, “It’s imperative that we all come together and think of out-of-the-box solutions for cinema as an industry during the current situation. We will support theatre owners by releasing the film in as many theatres as we can, keeping in line with the rules and protocols laid down by the government.

“But considering the guidelines and safety measures, we also need to devise ways to ensure that the film reaches all of our audience. We don't want to deny the audience the choice of entertainment in the comfort of their homes during these times.” 

The makers said Radhe would be released in all states where theatres are operational. The decision has come as a major surprise since the country is reeling under the second wave of the pandemic. Just yesterday, India recorded close to three lakh new cases.

Earlier this year, a large number of theatre associations had written to Salman Khan, urging him to release the film in theatres. The actor acquiesced to the demand.