Mumbai, March 9 – Bollywood actor Sunny Deol, who recently appeared in ‘Border 2’, was keen to release his action-drama ‘Gabru’ in theaters.
The actor wanted to avoid the initial OTT release route and opt for a theatrical release, considering his upcoming film ‘Ikka’ is also being released directly on OTT, a source said.
The source close to the actor shared, “‘Gabru’ was originally intended to be an OTT film. But after watching the movie, Abbas Mustan encouraged Sunny to release it in theaters, and Sunny agreed”.
“The budget is Rs 45-50 crore, excluding P&A. The producers of ‘Gabru’ wanted an OTT release, but after the screenings, Sunny Deol felt that it should have a theatrical release as ‘Ikka’ is also being released on OTT. He was encouraged by Abbas Mustan, Anil Sharma, and Rahul Rawail”, the source added.
‘Gabru’ is written and directed by Shashank Udapurkar and produced by Om Chhangani and Vishal Rana. It also features actors Simran Bagga and Prit Kamani in key roles. The film's music is composed by Mithoon, with lyrics by Sayeed Quadri and contributions from Satinder Sartaaj and Anurag Saikia.
The film is described as a drama centered on themes of courage, conscience, identity, and resilience. It presents a character-driven narrative focusing on moral strength and emotional struggle rather than conventional action. The story follows a central figure confronting personal and social challenges, reflecting ideas of empathy and inner conviction.
Sunny Deol announced ‘Gabru’ on October 19, 2025, on the occasion of his 68th birthday, when he released the film's first look poster on social media.
The film was initially scheduled for a theatrical release on March 13, 2026, but was later rescheduled to May 2026 to avoid a box-office clash with other releases like ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ and ‘Toxic’, the latter shifted its release to June. Distribution is planned through PVR INOX Pictures.
