Gulabo Sitabo to Scoob!: Bollywood and Hollywood films set for digital releases

Who would have thought a pandemic would flag off the digital age around the globe. At a time when every sector is pushing for a digital presence, the film industry is not falling behind. With the COVID-19 crisis forcing theatres to shut down, several Hollywood and Bollywood filmmakers are biting the bait and opting for direct digital releases instead of waiting out these stormy days. From Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ in Bollywood to ‘Scoob!’ in Hollywood, here’s a list of confirmed direct-digital releases.

Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana's flick 'Gulabo Sitabo' became the first Bollywood film to set its date for an online release on June 12. Taking to their Twitter handles, the leading men shared the exciting news with fans and encouraged all to join in and watch the film on the "first day, first show'. The quirky comedy was earlier slated to hit the screens on April 17 but was postponed due to the shutting of theatres amidst the coronavirus crisis.

The movie will see Big B and Ayushmann sharing screen space for the first time.

Following the trend of online releases of films during the coronavirus pandemic, Vidya Balan on Friday announced that her much-awaited biographical drama 'Shakuntala Devi' will be released on an OTT platform. The actress shared the delightful news to announce that fans will get to see 'Shakuntala Devi' very soon with all their loved ones. "Thrilled that we will be able to entertain you in these unprecedented times," she said in her statement. The film was earlier slated to hit the big screens on May 8 but was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Helmed by Anu Menon, the story revolves around the journey of the real-life genius Shakuntala Devi, known as 'human-computer' and 'mental calculator' for her ability to make incredibly swift calculations on her fingertips.

Fans of the highly anticipated animated Scooby-Doo movie – ‘Scoob!’ can skip the long lines and catch the flick at home as it gears up for a big digital release. The remake of the 1970s cartoon Scooby-Doo, features a voice cast of Frank Welker (Scooby), Will Forte (Shaggy), Gina Rodriguez (Velma), Zac Efron (Fred), and Amanda Seyfried (Daphne). Keeping its May 15 date with the audiences, the makers decided to release the film online for the whole family to enjoy.

'Artemis Fowl' starring Colin Farrell and Ferdia Shaw in lead roles is also skipping its June theatrical release to go straight for an OTT release. The film tells the story of a 12-year-old genius who seeks to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of his father. Based on the popular book by Eoin Colfer the science fantasy adventure is slated to release online this month.

Bollywood and Hollywood aren't the only film industries making this move to digital. Jayasurya and Aditi Rao Hydari-starrer 'Sufiyum Sujathayum' became the first Malayalam movie to line up for an OTT release. Vijay Babu, the film's producer, explained that “survival” is the key in this current phase. Sharing his thoughts about the need for big films to draw in the crowds, he said that the general pulse in the market is that medium and small films may have to depend on OTT platforms for the time being to survive. He also went on to state that the producers association has been very optimistic and all are standing by their decision.