 "At BellBottom trailer launch, Akshay Kumar talks 'unlocking cinemas' with film's theatrical release")
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar on Tuesday said the team of his upcoming spy thriller BellBottom rose to the challenge of releasing the film in theatres amid the coronavirus pandemic as there is little to life without some risk. Directed by Ranjit M Tewari, BellBottom will be the first Hindi movie to hit theatres during the second wave of the pandemic. With cinema halls being allowed to resume operation in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, trade analysts are betting big on BellBottom to revive the cinema exhibition sector with its release on 19 August. “The pressure is there on everybody but I’m very sure that things are going to work out. There’s a challenge, a risk. But if you haven’t taken the risk in life, then what have you done? So we have gone with it,” Kumar told Press Trust of India post the film’s trailer launch here at PVR Priya. “In this journey, I have my producers who have also taken the risk and that’s how we have proceeded,” he added. Also starring Vaani Kapoor, Lara Dutta and Huma Qureshi, the movie is set in the 1980s and features Kumar as a RAW operative whose code name is Bell Bottom. It was also the first Bollywood project to commence production amid the pandemic last year. Besides BellBottom, Kumar also shot for his movies _Raksha Bandhan_ and _Ram Setu_ during the pandemic. Asked how he convinced himself to get back to the set, the actor said life has to go on. “We have to work and there’s no doubt about it. You all have also worked amid the pandemic. So, how can work stop? You have to keep on working and take care of yourself. This is going to be normal now and life has to go on,” Akshay, who tested Covid-19 negative on 12 April after getting diagnosed with the virus earlier in the month, added. “In every project, there were close to 300-400 people working with me. So everything has to keep going on. Today we are releasing this film. We could have said that let’s leave it for now. But we have gone with it,” he said. Though theatres have been allowed to reopen in many states, Maharashtra, which is one of the major markets for Hindi language movies, is yet to allow cinema owners to resume theatrical activity. Asked if there’s a concern about cinema halls remaining shut in the state, Kumar said the makers have taken a leap of faith. “It is a gamble and someone had to take this gamble. We have taken this leap and I’m confident that this is going to work.” Producer Jackky Bhagnani said though Maharashtra contributes almost 30 per cent to the revenue of films, he is not worried about the prospects of BellBottom. “With BellBottom, we are just happy to be the flag bearers. This is for the fraternity and we are very happy that this movie is coming to theatres. That is the most important thing. “Yes, business is important but for this film especially, the biggest box office is that we are coming to theatres,” Jackky added. Produced by Pooja Entertainment and Emmay Entertainment, BellBottom is written by Aseem Arrora and Parveez Shaikh. Check out the pictures from the trailer launch
#Bellbottom the first big theatrical release slated to hit the screens on August 19, @akshaykumar and the producers made a hugely symbolic gesture of “unlocking the cinemas” at the film's trailer launch event along with multiplexe & single screen owners. pic.twitter.com/phfUMViBsJ
— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) August 3, 2021
The red carpet is rolled out and we are ready for the trailer launch of #AkshayKumar's long-awaited film #BellBottom. Stay tuned for all the updates from the star-studded event. @_PVRCinemas pic.twitter.com/e7wzzO2Xs6
— News18 Showsha (@News18Showsha) August 3, 2021
Bollywood superstar #AkshayKumar will be unlocking PVR's one of the oldest theatres in New Delhi with this grand key as he gears up to launch the trailer of his most-awaited film #BellBottom here. Are you excited? 😃 @_PVRCinemas @poojafilms pic.twitter.com/zku8Zu5dE0
— News18 Showsha (@News18Showsha) August 3, 2021
#BellBottom is ready to unlock cinemas and we can't wait! #AkshayKumar and team will cut this scrumptious BellBottom-themed cake ahead of the film's trailer launch today. 🤩 #BellBottomTrailer #BellBottomTrailerDay @poojafilms @akshaykumar @Vaaniofficial @LaraDutta @humasqureshi pic.twitter.com/RlsacmMDFE
— News18 Showsha (@News18Showsha) August 3, 2021
And the wait is over! #AkshayKumar is here to launch the #BellBottom trailer pic.twitter.com/gsX04NPN6i
— News18 Showsha (@News18Showsha) August 3, 2021
#BellBottom team greets paparazzi as they arrive at the film's trailer launch venue. #AkshayKumar @akshaykumar @Vaaniofficial @jackkybhagnani @LaraDutta @poojafilms #BellBottomTrailer #BellBottomTrailerDay pic.twitter.com/l1iwMcmXES
— News18 Showsha (@News18Showsha) August 3, 2021
(With inputs from Press Trust of India)
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