The makers of Malayalam star Mammootty starrer The Priest announced on Wednesday that the release of the much-awaited movie has been postponed. The film was originally slated for release on March 4. However, the makers are now awaiting the state government’s approval to conduct second shows in theatres.
Debutant director Jofin T Chacko took to social media to announce the same. Jofin conveyed through an Instagram post that The Priest was scheduled to release across the globe on April 4 as well. However, they are postponing the release of the film since the Kerala government has not given permission for theatres to run four shows. The makers have not announced a new release date for the thriller yet.
The news comes as a disappointment to fans who have been eagerly waiting to watch the movie on the big screen.
Earlier, Jofin T Chacko had shared a post on Facebook about the movie, announcing the postponement. Jofin started the post by thanking Mammootty for making his dream come true. While explaining why the release of The Priest is being postponed, the director stated that the crew had finished almost 80% of the shooting, but the production had to be stalled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. He then explained that the production resumed and completed, after a gap of eight months.
The director also noted that another factor in the postponement of the film’s release is, theatres are not yet operational in parts of the world like Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Combined with the Kerala government not yet allowing second shows, Jofin expressed that a large chunk of family audiences would miss out on the film.
In The Priest, Mammootty will be essaying the role of a former priest who is interested in crime investigations. The mystery thriller also stars actors Manju Warrier, Nikhila Vimal and Saniya Iyappan in significant roles. The Priest is bankrolled by Anto Joseph and B Unni Krishnan under the banners of Anto Joseph Film Company and RD Illuminations. Director Jofin T Chacko is also the writer for the venture. Shyam Menon and Deepu Pradeep are taking care of the screenplay, while Akhil George will be handling the cinematography. The movie will be edited by Muhammad and has music by Rahul Raj.
Similar to The Priest, the release of Mohanlal’s upcoming movie Marakkar Arabikadalinte