'Bunty Aur Babli 2' poised for a Christmas 2020 release?

The movie, a sequel to the 2005 film having the same name, stars Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Sharvari.

A source said the makers are eyeing a Christmas 2020 release as the movie is a light-hearted con caper.

"The Christmas window is empty after the team of Ranveer Singh's 83 decided to push its release to 2021," the person said.

The 2005 movie, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Rani, became one of the most loved rom-com movies of Bollywood.

In the Shaad Ali directorial, Abhishek and Rani played con artists, while Big B essayed the role of a police officer on a mission to nab them.

Besides an unusual story, the movie's peppy music and commendable performances struck a chord with viewers.

To recall, theaters were shut in March when a strict lockdown was imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Last month, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar released SOPs, after cinemas were allowed to re-open from October 15, providing a much-needed respite to stakeholders.

As per new rules, only 50% of occupancy is allowed. The government also said show timings must be staggered to avoid crowding.

Though permission was given, no major movie released, confirming that production houses are still skeptical.

Trade analyst Komal Nahta explained, "It's a vicious circle — people won't come unless a big blockbuster release, but producers won't release a big movie unless people come. It's going to be a very long-drawn process."

However, the latest report hints that YRF is ready to take the plunge.

Evidently, to keep movie buffs entertained, producers released their movies directly on streaming platforms.

In the last couple of months, a number of movies, including the big-ticket ones, released on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar.

Just two days ago, Akshay Kumar's Laxmii released and broke the viewership record held by Dil Bechara, which featured late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.