The release journey of Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi’s starrer ‘Bhool Chuk Maaf’ was no less than the story of a film. Earlier, the film was scheduled to release in theatres on May 9, but just a few days before the release, producer Maddock Films suddenly announced that the film would stream directly on Amazon Prime Video. This decision sparked anger among theatre owners.
The biggest protest was done by PVR Inox, which filed a case of damages of Rs 60 crore against Maddock Films. They said that there was a pre-agreed agreement regarding the theatrical release of the film, and breaking it is a violation of the contract. The matter immediately reached the court, and there was confusion regarding the release of the film.
However, the dispute was resolved after a legal settlement last weekend. The court has allowed the film to be released in theatres on May 23, 2025. Along with this, Maddock Films will now start promotion again from May 15, so that enthusiasm can be created again among the audience.
The court has also given special instructions regarding OTT streaming of the film. Usually, Hindi films are released on online platforms 8 weeks after their theatrical release. But giving a special concession in this case, the court has allowed the film to be streamed on Amazon Prime Video from June 6, 2025. This decision will apply only to this film.
The most important thing is that PVRInox has withdrawn the claim of damages of 60 crores, so that both parties can now move forward without any financial loss.
This whole matter is now raising new questions about the agreements between theatre release and OTT in the film industry. Especially when there is any kind of political or social uproar in the country.
Now that the film has finally been approved for release in theatres, the focus will once again be on the audience’s response and its performance at the box office. An official joint statement from Maddock Films and PVR Inox is expected soon, which will further clarify the way forward.
