Leading digital service provider UFO Moviez, which recently got into the film distribution business announced that it will release actor Vijay’s film Master in over 500 screens across key circuits in north India.

In a press release, the digital cinema distribution network and in-cinema advertising platform said that the biggest theatrical release post-lockdown will done in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu across Central India, Rajasthan, Delhi/UP and East Punjab on January 14.

The much-awaited movie has an ensemble cast including Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi and Malavika Mohanan in the lead roles. The Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed film was originally scheduled for release in April 2020 but postponed due to the Covid pandemic.

The release in over 500 screens across north India is likely to help the movie shore up its box office collection at a time when theatres in key markets such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are restricted to operate at 50 per cent seating capacity.

Screen space available

Absence of major Bollywood releases in January and release in Hindi have also helped the Tamil star’s movie get more screen space in the traditional Hindi bastions.

“As theatres are striving to survive amidst the pandemic, big budget movies like Master will help pandemic-hit theatres get back on their feet and thrive,” Kapil Agarwal, Joint Managing Director, UFO Moviez said in the statement. “We salute the makers of Master for their conviction in releasing the film at this crucial juncture and are happy to be a part of this opportunity to help resurrect the cinema industry,” he added.

While announcing its foray into film distribution during the last week of December, UFO Moviez said it intends to consolidate and position itself as a one-stop pan India film distributor. UFO Moviez also said that it will begin by presenting eleven Hindi films with an aim to release at least one film every week on an average in 2021.

It kick-started its movie distribution with Pankaj Tripathi-led Shakeela on December 25. The Naseeruddin Shah-starrer Ramprasad ki Tehrvi , the only major Hindi title that had a theatrical release on January 1 - was also distributed nationwide by UFO Moviez.