Earlier there were speculations that Sushant Singh starrer Dil Bechara might go directly on a digital platform. But those rumours were put to an end a few days ago after the makers announced the release date of the film. The film that also marks the debut of Sanjana Sanghi is supposed to be released on 8 May 2020.
But it seems the story does not end here. There are still chances that the film may still go straight to an online streaming platform as the Fox Star Studios is still in talks with Amazon Prime to sell the film to the OTT giant. If the negotiations fail then the film will hit the screens of cinema halls on 8 May next year. The film was originally scheduled to release on 29 November this year.
Bollywood Hungama quoted a source close to the project as saying, “Fox Star Studios has pitched Dil Bechara to Amazon Prime. The negotiations are going on in full swing but both parties are yet to reach a consensus with regards to the economics of the deal. This is the reason why Fox has postponed the film’s theatrical release by 6 months; although it’s ready since sometime. This is their way of buying time so that the deal with Amazon Prime can be locked. If Fox Star Studios manages to get the OTT platform agree to the terms and money they are demanding, then the theatrical release of Dil Bechara will be shelved and it’ll directly release on Amazon Prime. If not, then it’ll release on May 8 next year as scheduled.”
Dil Bechara tells the story of two young terminally ill people who fall in love. It is based on author John Green’s 2012 novel “The Fault in Our Stars”, which was also adapted in Hollywood as The Fault in Our Stars (2014). While the Hollywood adaptation emerged as a blockbuster, the Hindi remake is being seen as too depressing for the Indian audience. The makers are afraid that they might not be able to recover their costs if the film come out in cinema halls.
Talking about the same, the source said, “It’s wrong to assume here that the makers are planning its direct OTT release because the film not up to the mark. The movie is quite touching but at the same time, it’s too depressing and niche. Hence, Fox management is worried that they might not be able to recover their costs, should the film release in cinemas. Therefore, they approached Amazon Prime, hoping that they’ll give them a good deal which will ensure profitability for them.”
A similar fate was seen by Sushant Singh’s previous film Drive that also starred Jacqueline Fernandez. The film was initially supposed to release in cinema halls on 7 September 2018, but was pushed to 28 June 2019, and ultimately did not see a theatrical release. It directly premiered on Netfilx and was criticized by the critics and audience alike.
Coming back to Dil Bechara, directed by Mukesh Chhabra and produced by Fox Star Studios, the film stars Sushant Singh Rajput and debutante Sanjana Sanghi in the lead roles, and features music composed by A. R. Rahman.