A few days ago, it was reported that the highly awaited film from Dharma Productions, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, directed by Karan Johar, won’t be able to make it on Valentine’s Day 2023. Originally scheduled to be released on February 10 next year, the romcom was reportedly pushed ahead due to lead actor Alia Bhatt’s pregnancy. A few days later, Dharma Productions shared another update that Selfiee, starring Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Diana Penty and Nushrratt Bharuccha will be out in cinemas on February 24, 2023.
Bollywood Hungama has now learnt that another Dharma film will also have a change in release date. A source told Bollywood Hungama, “Mr And Mrs Mahi, starring Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor, was supposed to be out on October 7. However, the shoot has been delayed. The filming began in May this year and though the makers have shot a chunk of the film, a significant portion remains to be shot. Hence, it won’t be able to make it by October. A new release date would be announced soon. Probably, the film will arrive in cinemas in the first quarter of 2023.”
Mr And Mrs Mahi is directed by Sharan Sharma, whose debut directorial was Gunjan Saxena – The Kargil Girl (2020). Bollywood Hungama was the first one to break the news, in November 2021, that Sharan’s next film has been titled Mr And Mrs Mahi. In January 2022, the makers dropped pictures of Janhvi prepping with Dinesh Karthik for the role of a cricketer.
The source continued, “Dharma Productions has two more films – Govinda Naam Mera, starring Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar, which is ready for release, and Yodha, starring Sidharth Malhotra and Raashii Khanna. These two films would probably release first and only then Mr And Mrs Mahi would arrive in theatres. A clearer picture would emerge in a few weeks.”
A trade expert remarked, “With Mr And Mrs Mahi postponed and Katrina Kaif-starrer Phone Bhoot being moved to November 4, now the only film is scheduled for release in the first week of October is the Kangana Ranaut-starrer Tejas. It will arrive in cinemas on Wednesday, October 5, to take advantage of the Dussehra holiday. One more film can come on this day as it will get a clean run for two weeks. This is because no significant film would be released on October 14, as it is the pre-Diwali week.”
However, an industry insider observed, “Hrithik Roshan’s Vikram Vedha and Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: Part-1 are releasing on September 30. Both are big-budget spectacles and would take up a huge chunk of screens. Hence, Tejas might be the only release on October 5 or 7 as sharing the screens between four films would cause problems.”