MUMBAI: Actors Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday-starrer "Khaali Peeli" was released at a drive-in theatre in Gurgaon on Friday.
Cinema halls have been shut since mid-March due to coronavirus pandemic and amid uncertainty over the reopening of the big screens, "Khaali Peeli" happens to be the first Bollywood film to opt for a drive-in theatre release.
Director Maqbool Khan said given the current scenario of COVID-19, the makers decided to have a drive-in theatre screening and release for the movie, which also features actor Jaideep Ahlawat.
"In the current scenario where we are going through pandemic, the Zee team came up with this idea that we should have a screening where people can drive in, sit in their cars, maintain social distancing and watch the film. "We all discussed about this idea and we went ahead with it and it worked beautifully. It was a different kind of experience and I hope people have enjoyed it," Khan told PTI.
At the Gurgaon-based driven-in theatre, 'Khaali Peeli' will have two shows on Saturday and three on Sunday. Khan said global standards of safety, social distancing measures and sanitization were followed at the screening and he was elated to see audience watching the film on the big screen.
"Khaali Peeli", backed by filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, also released on the pay-per-view service Zee Plex on October 2.