Actor Nani, who is awaiting the release of Tuck Jagadish, said that he will ban himself if his films do not get released in theatres after the situation becomes favourable for big-screen releases.
He was speaking at the trailer launch event of the upcoming Telugu film on Wednesday.
Tuck Jagadish, which is directed by Shiva Nirvana, is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on September 10 on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. Besides Nani, it also features actors Ritu Varma, Aishwarya Rajesh, Jagapathi Babu, Daniel Balaji, and Nasser, among others.
The film is jointly produced by Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi under the Shine Screens Banner.
While addressing the media during the trailer launch, Nani was asked what he had to say to theatre owners who believed his film would release on the big-screen based on what he had said during a promotional event for Thimmarusu. At the pre-release event of the film Thimmarusu in July, Nani had reiterated his firm support for the theatre experience and said, “Watching films in theatres is our culture and our birthright.”
Answering the question put to him on Wednesday, Nani replied, “I have immense respect for them (theatre owners). Jagadish and Nani are part of their family too. I understand their difficulties and situation. I am one among them. If, when the situation gets better and things are back to normalcy, my films and I don’t go to theatres, I will ban myself.”
Earlier in August, when word of Tuck Jagadish taking the OTT route spread, one of the members of the Telangana Cinema Theaters Association reportedly passed disparaging comments on Nani at a meeting organised by the association, starting a huge row.
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Addressing this issue, the actor said on Wednesday, “There is nothing wrong in them expressing how they feel about their situation. I empathise with them.”
It is to be noted that Tuck Jagadish was one of the Telugu films that were expected to release in theatres. However, the makers chose a direct-to-OTT release based on the Andhra Pradesh government’s recent decision to cap ticket prices of both multiplexes and single-screen theatres, a source had earlier said to Silverscreen India.
(With translation inputs from Chandhni R)