Sooryavanshi release postponed; plans for Akshay Kumar-Rohit Shetty film impacted by COVID wave in Maharashtra

The makers of Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi on Monday announced that the cop drama has been pushed yet again and will not release on 30 April due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra. The Rohit Shetty-directed cop drama was originally scheduled for a release on 24 March last year, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement, the makers said Shetty attended a meeting with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday and decided to push the April release date owing to the situation in the state. “The Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Uddhav Thackeray had a discussion with director Rohit Shetty yesterday. “In the meeting, Mr Uddhav Thackeray appreciated Rohit Shetty as he took the brave and difficult decision of postponing Sooryavanshi owing to the current COVID situation in the state,” the makers said in a statement. The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced a weekend lockdown in the state from 8 pm on Friday to 7 am on Monday in a bid to curb the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the state. The night curfew will continue to be imposed in the state and strict restrictions will be in force from Monday 8 pm onwards. On Sunday, Kumar, 53, also tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to a city hospital as a “precautionary measure” on Monday. Last June, Reliance Entertainment, which is backing Sooryavanshi, had announced to release the film during Diwali. However, in October the movie was again postponed due to theatres being shut in Maharashtra and in some parts of the country. Sooryavanshi is the fourth film in Shetty’s cop universe after Ajay Devgn-starrer Singham, Singham Returns and Simmba, starring Ranveer Singh. It is presented by Reliance Entertainment and produced by Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films.