Jio Studios & Maddock Films have promised to bring back the magic of cinema with a much-anticipated horror-comedy ‘Roohi’, which gets its worldwide release on March 11. In India, the film will celebrate theatres finally getting the green signal to open up at full capacity following the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Jyoti Deshpande, President – Media & Entertainment at RIL, said: "We have always invested in great stories with amazing production values, visually and by way of sound, which is best experienced on the big screen to have that ‘paisa vasool wali feeling’.
“We owed it to our partners across the value chain, be it Maddock or the Cinema Exhibitors, to hold on to our fabulous film for this day and give it the grand release that it deserves and promise a complete entertainment experience to our audiences who have waited over a year for this. With ‘Roohi’, the magic of Cinema is back… come celebrate with us. We promise to make you smile under your masks".
After the 2018 box-office success ‘Stree’, the team reunites to build upon the universe it had created with a family-friendly, horror-comedy franchise. ‘Stree’ actor Rajkummar Rao stars in ‘Roohi’ opposite Janhvi Kapoor, directed by Hardik Mehta in a story crafted by Mrigdeep Singh Lamba.
The makers of the film hope to pave the way for films slated for a theatrical release, with the first major 1,500 screen-plus pan-India release next month.
Producer Dinesh Vijan, Maddock Films, said: “At Maddock, we are all storytellers driven by our love for cinema in all its vibrant forms. While ‘Stree’ was a genre bending tale that gave audiences something never seen before, ‘Roohi’ takes this vision a step further by offering the same brand of spine-chilling scares and quirky comedy.
“With a partner like Jio Studios that shares our passion for the eponymous bada parda (big screen), we hope ‘Roohi’ rekindles the audience's long-standing romance with the silver screen. It is a film tailor-made to be viewed at your nearest theatre."
The trailer of the film was dropped this week and has received a resounding thumbs-up across social media.
Cinema chains in India have also welcomed the news of being able to open their doors to audiences once again.
Kamal Gianchandani, CEO, PVR Pictures, said: “We appreciate Jio Studios and Maddock Films who reposed their faith in the big screen and waited patiently to release their much-awaited entertainment extravaganza like ‘Roohi’ at the cinemas.
“We expect the movie to draw all segments of audiences to the theatres due to its strong content and popular genre.”
Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinepolis, added: “The wait is over! We welcome audiences back to the magic of the silver screens with an entertainment extravaganza like ‘Roohi’.
“We greatly appreciate Jio Studios and Maddock Films who have continued to invest faith in the big screen experience & release their much-awaited film in cinemas.”