2.0 release: Rajinikanth-Akshay Kumar starrer confirmed for April release, Tollywood industry unhappy

Akshay Kumar had released the poster of Padman and announced that the movie will release on January 26. That where the buzz about 2.0 being postponed stemmed from. HT had listed the multiple reasons why it was possible. Now, the makers on December 2, announced that the Rajinikanth and Akshay starrer will release on 27th April, 2018.

The press release stated, “Lyca Productions-superstar Rajinikanth-Akshay Kumar-Shankar magnum opus SciFi action thriller 2.0 to be screened worldwide on April 2018. Nation’s costliest 3D film starring superstar Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, directed by Shankar, music by AR Rahman . The high tech post production works are fully geared and the team is all set for the release schedule.”

This is the second time that the film has been postponed. It was initially slated for Diwali 2017 release. The makers had then postponed it to release for Republic Day. Raju Mahalingam, the COO of Lyca Productions had announced on Facebook, “Our most ambitious project, Shankar’s 2.0,shifts to 25 January 2018. It moves from (its) earlier Diwali release to achieve world class standards in VFX.”

The new release date has angered filmmakers in Tollywood. Allu Arjun ’s Naa Peru Surya Naa Illu India and Mahesh Babu ’s Bharath Ane Nenu were slotted to release in April. Especially, producer of the former, Bunny Vasu. He took to Facebook to share his frustration and wrote, “@LYKA PRODUCTIONS (ROBO 2.0)..... WE RESEPECT U R MOVIE BUT U R CHANGING OF RELEASE DATES EFFECTING REGIONAL MOVIES RELEASE DATES A LOT ....ME (NAA PERU SURYA NAA ELLU INDIA) AND DHANAYA GARU (BHARATH ANU NENU) IN TALKS FOR A UNDERSTANDING ....I WILL TAKE THIS ISSUE TO PRODUCER COUNCIL AND EXHIBITER ASSOCIATIONS AP & TELANGANA ...WE STAND FOR OUR DATE COMMITMENT ...MAY THIS HELP FULL TO REGIONAL MOVIE RELEASES IN FUTURE ALSO …(sic)”