'Jackpot' to re-release in 2019, following this year's failure

Film flopped at the box office back in July due to competition from 'Sanju' and 'Race 3'

LAHORE: The re-release of Shoaib Khan's Jackpot has been scheduled for January 11, 2019. The film was earlier released on July 6, 2018, but was pulled off cinema screens due to rife competition from other film releases.

Despite being a big budget film, it did not garner much public response due to the non-availability of shows in cinemas. Bollywood blockbuster Sanju took up most of the slots leading to Jackpot's failure. Therefore, the producers are trying their luck again and are busy running promotional campaigns around the country in this regard. They hope the film proves to be a super hit.

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Jackpot is due to release in all big cinema houses around Pakistan. The film's producer, Khurram Riaz told The Express Tribune that this will include theatres in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi among others. He also shared cinema owners have assured him that this time around Jackpot will be given preference over others. Riaz further stated that owners admitted to sidelining his film due to Sanju's success.

PHOTO: KOI MOI

Jackpot was mainly shot in Thailand as well as in other parts of the world. The last two years have witnessed promotional campaigns for the film as well as ongoing discussions among industry insiders (including stakeholders) for Jackpot's success. Nonetheless, it failed to please audiences and flopped at the box office, proving to be a disappointment for all those attached to the film.

Jackpot features a talented cast of Noor Hassan, Sanam Chaudhry, Sana Fakhar, Adnan Shah Tipu, Ismail Tara, Afzal Khan Rambo, Javed Sheikh, Dr Omer Adil, Faiza Khan, Iftikhar Thakur, Inayat Khan, Sangeeta, Mehmood Aslam, Meera, Zara Sheikh, Sajan Abaas and Indian stars Reyna Malhotra and Eeyna Malhotra, among others.

PHOTO: TWITTER

Riaz decided to re-release the film based on the suggestions of cinema owners and has a plan for Jackpot's success following its release this time around. "The film stakeholders know the reason for Jackpot's failure very well," he began. "Cinema owners did the worst by sidelining the film because of Sanju and Race 3."

He continued, "Although we were aware that two big Indian films were releasing at the same time as Jackpot, we still went ahead with its release. We were confident that the film would do well because we have worked really hard and have done our best. We had a great budget and an amazing cast so had no reason to be afraid."

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The producer went on to share that his whole team has faith in Jackpot and believed that it could compete with the Indian films. "We provided quality work and had seen the huge success of local films against other Indian films during Eid. But what can you do when cinema owners aren't on our side."

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He added, "We have proof that only one show slot was given to Jackpot after 16 slots were provided to the Indian films. I still believe that if we were given an equal amount of shows back in July, Jackpot wouldn't have failed."

Riaz stated that after the film's failure, he held various meetings with cinema owners to voice his concerns. "They accepted their wrongdoings and assured me that our concerns will be dealt with and eradicated. Hopefully, we will see a beautiful beginning to 2019 with Jackpot's release on January 11." The producer requests everyone to go and watch Jackpot as "without public support, no Pakistani film can do good business."

Edited by Ramsha Vistro.

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