Vidya Balan's 'Shakuntala Devi' to premiere on Prime Video
What's the story
Vidya Balan-starrer Shakuntala Devi is all set to release on Amazon's streaming arm Prime Video. Directed by Anu Menon, the movie was originally planned to hit the theaters on May 8, before the coronavirus pandemic shuttered cinemas across the country. The news comes one day after Ayushmann Khurrana and Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Gulabo Sitabo became the first big-ticket movie to be directly released online.
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'Thrilled to entertain you in these unprecedented times'
Sharing a fresh poster of the film, Vidya wrote, "Delighted to announce that you will get to see Shakuntala Devi very soon on Prime Video India with all your loved ones. Thrilled that we will be able to entertain you in these unprecedented times."
Twitter Post
Here is Vidya's tweet
Delighted to announce that you will get to see #ShakuntalaDevi very soon on @PrimeVideoIN with all your loved ones. Thrilled that we will be able to entertain you in these unprecedented times. #WorldPremiereOnPrime #ShakuntalaDeviOnPrime@sonypicsprodns @Abundantia_Ent pic.twitter.com/j1IExmE0AW
— vidya balan (@vidya_balan) May 15, 2020
Film
Who was Shakuntala Devi?
The movie is a biopic of late writer and mathematics wizard Shakuntala Devi. She was popularly known as "human computer" for her ability to solve complex calculations quickly. Shakuntala went on to earn a spot in the 1982 edition of The Guinness Book of World Records. The biopic also stars Jisshu Sengupta, Sanya Malhotra, and Amit Sadh. Its release date isn't fixed yet.
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Shakuntala braved naysayers to reach success: Vidya
Speaking about the role, Vidya had earlier said, "I am extremely excited to play the human computer, Shakuntala Devi, on the big screen." "She was truly someone who embraced her individuality, had a strong feminist voice and braved many a naysayer to reach the pinnacle of success," the actor added. Shakuntala is also remembered for writing the book The World of Homosexuals.
Other movies
Film industry remains divided over digital releases
The announcement comes just a day after Gulabo Sitabo's digital release triggered a major controversy, and started a war of words between the entertainment industry's production sector and its exhibitors. However, the trend of direct-to-digital releases is likely to continue. Major movies such as Akshay Kumar's Laxmmi Bomb, Anurag Basu's Ludo, and Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Jhund are also expected to take the digital route.