Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: The makers of Bhool Chuk Maaf have officially cancelled its planned theatrical release and announced a direct-to-OTT premiere instead. The romantic comedy will now stream on Prime Video starting May 16, skipping its earlier theatrical release scheduled for May 9.
In an official statement shared on social media, the film’s production house Maddock Films cited “recent events and heightened security drills across the nation” as the reason for the shift in strategy. Emphasising the importance of public safety, the studio wrote, “The spirit of the nation comes first! Watch Bhool Chuk Maaf directly on @primevideoin, May 16.”
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh also confirmed the development on social media, noting that the film would skip theatres in favour of a digital release next week.
Directed and written by Karan Sharma, Bhool Chuk Maaf stars RajKummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi in lead roles. The film is presented by Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films, in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios.
The story follows Ranjan (RajKummar Rao), who is in love with Titli (Wamiqa Gabbi). Faced with opposition from Titli’s conservative family, Ranjan must secure a government job in two months. The plot takes a quirky turn when the couple becomes trapped in a time loop, endlessly reliving their haldi ceremony, leading to a humorous and heartwarming journey.
The move to digital release comes at a time of heightened national alert following Operation Sindoor, India’s deep-strike counterterrorism operation in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The Indian government has since intensified civil defence drills, including blackouts and emergency response exercises in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Gwalior, and Jaipur.
These drills, ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), are part of a broader effort to bolster preparedness against potential threats in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians.
While the filmmakers did not comment further, the unprecedented release shift underlines the broader impact of national security measures on the entertainment industry.