'We will release Radhe again in the theatres'

Salman Khan has announced that after the coronavirus pandemic subsides in the country and it is 'safe' for people to visit cinema halls, his new film Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai will go ahead with a theatrical release.

Directed by Prabhudheva, the movie will start streaming on multiple platforms, including OTT and DTH services, on May 13 on the festival of Eid.

Also starring Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff, Radhe will release on the pay-per-view broadcast platform ZEEPLEX as well.

Salman Khan said the original thought was to release the film in theatres as many of them were getting shut down.

"This film is coming out on Eid. You will get a chance to watch it at home and when the corona goes away, we will release it in theatres," the 55-year-old actor told reporters in a round-table interview from Mumbai.

"Once everything is safe, we will release the film again in the theatres. We hope the film does well then too," he added.

Radhe harks back to Salman Khan's character from his 2009 blockbuster Wanted, also directed by Prabhudheva.

The whistle-worthy one-liner of the hit action movie -- 'Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di, uske baad toh main apne aap ki bhi nahin sunta' -- also makes a stylish comeback.

But the actor emphasised that Radhe was not the sequel and only has a 'vibe' similar to Wanted.

"It's not a sequel to Wanted, it's just that the character's name is Radhe. Radhe was also in Tere Naam. Prem (another one of his popular on-screen names) was also in a lot of films. The character (Radhe) has that vibe to it, that 'commitment' dialogue, reminiscing something for the fans. But this is a different film altogether," he added.

If the audience liked Radhe, there would be a sequel, Salman promised.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Salman Khan Films, the actor's production banner, recently pledged to provide support towards COVID-19 relief work across the country through the revenue generated from Radhe.

But Salman said that whatever they are doing, "it will never be enough.'"

"What if I need it someday? What if I need somebody to help me out at that time? So, it's not selflessness. I think we should all be like that. God forbid, when we ourselves are in trouble, there should be someone to help you out."

The actor, who got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in March, also shared that he will get his second jab in the next 10 days.

"Mum and dad took their second vaccination (shot) yesterday (May 10)," he said of his parents veteran screenwriter Salim Khan and producer Salma Khan, adding that brother-producer Arbaaz Khan also took his first shot on Sunday.

Salman also mentioned that his younger sister Arpita had COVID-19 'long back'. In an Instagram post, Arpita had posted that she tested positive for the virus in the beginning of April and was asymptomatic.

The superstar urged people to get tested once they have symptoms and start the treatment immediately.

"That's the only way to survive this."

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com