Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has consolidated his standing on the digital medium with the direct-to-OTT release Laxmii and Atrangi Re. which were originally slated to release in theatres. This resulted in reports of his upcoming film Raksha Bandhan too skipping the theatrical route. Director-producer Aanand L Rai has, now, reacted to the rumours. Speaking to Pinkvilla, he said that the film will hit the screens on August 11 as it offers a big-screen experience.
This means that it will lock horns with pan-India star Prabhas' upcoming mythological drama Adipurush as it is slated to hit the screens on the same day. The perception is that Om Raut's magnum opus will open better than Akshay's film. Rai's movie might, however, recover this lost ground if the content is good.
Raksha Bandhan is touted to be a comedy-drama that caters to the family audience and celebrates the bond between a brother and his sister. It features Bhumi Pednekar as the leading lady and marks her second onscreen collaboration with 'Akki'. The two had previously teamed up for the 2017 release Toilet. The veteran actor produced Durgamati, which featured the Pati Patni Aur Woh star in the titular role.
Raksha Bandhan is Rai's second film with Akshay. The 'Khiladi' essayed a key role in his recently released movie Atrangi Re, which featured Tamil star Dhanush and Sara Ali Khan in the lead. The romantic drama received mixed reviews but most critics praised Akshay for his performance.
The star, meanwhile, is going through a busy phase on the work front. He will soon be seen in the period drama Prithviraj. The film has been directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi and features the mass hero in the role of the legendary king Rai Pithora. The cast includes Manushi Chillar, Sanjay Dutt and Sonu Sood.
Akshay also has Selfiee, co-starring Emraan Hashmi, and the action-comedy Bachchan Pandey in his kitty. There have been talks of him stepping into Tamil star Suriya's shoes for the Hindi remake of Soorrarai Pottru