Aanand L Rai Regrets Not Releasing Akshay Kumar’s Atrangi Re in Theaters

In 2021, filmmaker Aanand L Rai released his romantic comedy Atrangi Re during a time when the world was still emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. With theaters slowly reopening and audiences hesitant to return to cinema halls, Rai opted for a digital release on Disney+ Hotstar on December 24. Now, years later, he looks back and admits that he wishes he had waited for the film to be shown on the big screen.

In a recent interview with Zoom, Rai shared his thoughts on the decision, revealing that he regrets not holding off a little longer for a theatrical release. At the time, it seemed like streaming was the only feasible option to reach audiences. He said, “Yes, I do regret not waiting. I usually don’t have regrets, but with Atrangi Re, I feel like I should have been more patient.”

Rai went on to say that the movie, which stars Akshay Kumar, Dhanush, and Sara Ali Khan, was made for the big screen and deserved to be experienced that way. However, given the circumstances, he had to release it on OTT. “Even though I still get a lot of love for the film, I believe it should have been seen in theaters,” he added. He also emphasized that the movie’s unique story required viewers’ full attention for two hours, something that can be harder to achieve with a streaming release.

Previously, Rai had spoken about the challenges of moving into the digital space with Atrangi Re, a romantic fantasy comedy-drama. Adjusting to the idea of premiering a film directly on an OTT platform was a new experience for him and his team. “It was hard to wrap our heads around the idea that there’s this other medium, OTT, for releasing films,” Rai admitted.

He also pointed out the differences between theatrical and digital releases. “As a director, I usually judge a film’s success by feeling the audience’s reactions in real-time. In theaters, you can sense it within a couple of days, but on streaming platforms, it takes longer—sometimes a week or more—to see how people are responding,” Rai explained.

Despite these hurdles, Rai is glad that Atrangi Re managed to connect with audiences emotionally, even through the digital medium. While he wishes the film could have had its moment in theaters, he remains thankful for the love and appreciation it continues to receive.