Box Office: With Bhool Chuk Maaf skipping theatrical release, Rajkummar Rao pins hopes on gangster actioner Maalik

Rajkummar Rao, who was last seen in Raaj Shaandilyaa's 2024 directorial venture, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, has been gearing up for Bhool Chuk Maaf. The upcoming comedy-drama, which was earlier scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 9 this year, is now directly releasing on OTT. As the makers have skipped its theatrical release, Rajkummar Rao is pinning hope on his next, Maalik.

Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video was a below-average grosser with a lifetime net business of Rs 38.75 crore in India. The arrival of Bhool Chuk Maaf would mark Rajkummar Rao's return to cinemas after a year. Maddock Films' production, which sold 2,000 tickets in pre-sales, was expected to start on a slow note. It would rely on post-release word of mouth, considering its time loop plot, which is rarely experimented with these days.

With its theatrical release being called off, Rao is now betting on his next venture, Maalik, which will transport him into action space. Fans are anticipating a solid comeback of the actor, who will play a ruthless gangster in Pulkit's directorial.

Rajkummar Rao announced his big project, Maalik, in 2024, which coincided with his birthday. The team kickstarted its shoot on the same day last year. The first poster of Maalik, which featured Rao holding a gun in his hand, received strong responses on social media.

Rao picked a variety of genres last year, including romance, biopic, and comedy. Now, his decision to enter into action genre and experiment with his never-seen-before avatar has the potential to bring full-fledged success to his filmography.

The theatrical success of the gangster action thriller is important for the actor who witnessed a series of box-office failures in recent times. Rao hasn't had a clean hit in 7 years, with the exception of the all-time blockbuster release, Stree 2. Even Srikanth was a semi-hit.

For the uninitiated, Bhool Chuk Maaf will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on May 16, 2025. The makers of the family entertainer have decided to go for a direct OTT release 'in light of recent events and the heightened security drills across the nation.'

Coming back to Maalik, the teaser and the trailer should be solid for it to be able to generate good buzz ahead of its release.

ALSO READ: Bhool Chuk Maaf not releasing in theaters; here’s when and where you can watch Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi’s time travel romance