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Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, Jolly LLB 3: Ahead of IPL, release date changes signal a dry patch for Bollywood

With multiple Hindi films changing their release dates of late, the next three months look very dry for the film industry with less theatrical releases.

Published on: Mar 20, 2025, 11:22:08 IST
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Amid a flurry of OTT releases, a film releasing in theatres is a big deal in itself these days. It is almost a gamble, given how picky audiences are about a theatrical watch. One look at the 2025 calendar of releases, and you will realise that the next three months seen to be a rough patch for the industry. Among others, the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) is said to be one of the reasons for the lean patch. Looking at April alone, many releases have been shifted. The Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi- starrer Jolly LLB 3 will now hit the screens in August. Filmmaker Karan Johar's Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, starring Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor and Sanya Malhotra, will now hit the screens on September 12 instead of April 18.

Movie posters
Movie posters

Also read: Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor's Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari release postponed, film to hit theatres on this date

A source tells us that while the shoot started later than intended. businessman Adar Poonawalla buying 50% stake in KJo's Dharma Productions also added to the delay.

Metro... In Dino was originally set to come out on November 29 last year, but it got pushed to July 4 in 2025. Sharing why the film wasn't slated for a summer release, a source close to the project informs us: "We wanted a desired window looking at the other releases. So, we settled on July 4.”

Also read: Prabhas' horror-comedy The Raja Saab will not be released in the summer for this reason

Of course, the trade is not happy with the lean patch. Expert Atul Mohan says. "Every month sees one or two big releases, but small filmmakers don't prefer to release their films in theatres when the IPL is on. So, they push their dates by a month or two.

Ananth Mahadevan, director of Phule, isn't perturbed by the IPL or other films releasing alongside: "April 10 is the 197th birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. So, how can we miss out on that date? There won't be any point otherwise.”

  • Rishabh Suri
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Rishabh Suri

    Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, film critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden box office panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried.Read More