‘Project Hail Mary’ producer Aditya Sood reveals how the massive success of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ led to a strategic shift in the Indian release of the Hollywood film and why, in retrospect, it might have been the smartest move the team ever made. Let’s see what he has to say.
‘Project Hail Mary’ producers on India release date change
While ‘Project Hail Mary’ opened worldwide on March 19, its Indian release was delayed as theaters prioritized Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’. Aditya Dharwhich created enormous anticipation. The Hollywood film starring Ryan Gosling finally released in India on March 26. The dominant presence of Dhurandhar’s sequel also led to schedule changes for several other films, including Yash’s ‘Toxic’.Speaking about the decision, Aditya Sood told Hindustan Times, “We have an amazing team here in India, who know the local market. That’s why you don’t make decisions in Los Angeles. Obviously, we knew what the big thing ‘Dhurandhar 2’ would be.”
The producer tells how the delay worked in favor of the film
Instead of hurting the film, Aditya Sood feels that the extra week actually worked in its favour. With global audiences already talking about the film online, the Indian audience’s curiosity grew. “I don’t think it’s the worst thing in the world when you see the enthusiasm of others,” he said.Sood also drew a thoughtful parallel between the global response and the film’s central theme. He noted: “It’s funny because it reflects what’s in the story: the whole world is experiencing it; it’s a moment where we can all do something together. And I think that’s really powerful.”
More about the ‘Hail Mary Project’
“Project Hail Mary” initially secured very limited IMAX screens in India as exhibitors continued to prioritize “Dhurandhar 2’s record-breaking run”. However, a wave of online fan-driven demand led to a huge increase in IMAX shows, with tickets selling out quickly as more screens were listed.According to reports, internationally, the film earned around $500 million within three weeks of its release. In India, it collected around 50 crores in two weeks, a strong figure for a non-franchise Hollywood film.
More about ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’
Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ became the first Hindi film to cross the Rs 1 billion mark in India, making it clear why it had such a dominant opening window. The film is making a global box office collection of Rs 1.7 billion.
