Vidya Balan’s Sherni set for a direct-to-digital release on Amazon Prime Video?

By: Mohnish Singh

With rising Coronavirus cases in India, a lot of filmmakers are once again looking at streaming media platforms as the safest option to release their films.

A couple of films that entered theatres over the past few weeks did not quite set the cash registers jingling at the box-office, which is why some filmmakers are still going ahead with the digital route instead of a theatrical one.

The latest we hear that Vidya Balan’s upcoming film Sherni is reportedly being lined-up for a direct-to-digital release. Written by Aastha Tiku, the film may release exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, as per reports.

Sherni, jointly produced by Abundantia Entertainment and T-Series Films, explores the human-wildlife conflict with a plot that revolves around a real-life incident.

In November 2018, Tigress Avni had hit the headlines when she was shot dead in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district. A classic example of man-animal conflict, her killing caused outrage among many across the country. The Supreme Court of India had directed the forest department and its officials to first tranquillise and then trap Tigress Avni. However, she allegedly attacked the team which shot her.

The film has been directed by filmmaker Amit Masurkar. It marks his third film after Newton (2017), which was selected as India’s official entry for the 90th Academy Awards, and the 2013 slacker-comedy Sulemani Keeda.

If Sherni indeed premieres on any streaming media platform, it will mark Vidya Balan’s second direct-to-digital release. Her last film Shakuntala Devi: Human Computer (2020), co-starring Sanya Malhotra, also released directly on Amazon Prime Video. Balan plays the role of a forest official in Sherni.

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