Deepika’s ‘Project K’ launch, Alia’s ‘Heart of Stone’ delayed amidst Hollywood strike: reports

It seems that the ongoing strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) in Hollywood is beginning to impact the release schedules of some highly anticipated projects, including those featuring Bollywood stars Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt.

The strike, which began on July 14, has caused production shutdowns and disruptions in the industry as both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America protest against studios over issues such as wages, AI technology, and profit-sharing in the streaming era.

According to Pinkvilla, one of the reportedly affected projects is Project K, a sci-fi film featuring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, and Padukone. The film's director, Nag Ashwin, had planned to unveil the movie's first look at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 20. However, with Hollywood actors refraining from participating in such events due to the strike, there is speculation that the launch of Project K might be postponed as a show of solidarity with the creative community in the West.

Despite these reports, the San Diego Comic-Con schedule currently lists the Project K event as still being on the slate.

Another film affected by the strike is Heart of Stone, which marks Bhatt's debut in Hollywood. The Netflix film, also starring Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan, was set to have extensive promotions in Los Angeles ahead of its release on August 11. However, the strike has put these promotional activities on hold. Bhatt will now shift her focus to the promotions of her upcoming Bollywood film, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, over the next two weeks.

Furthermore, there is uncertainty surrounding the release of Ali Fazal's next film, Afghan Dreamers too. Although the actor completed shooting for Bill Guttentag's directorial venture earlier this year, the strike's impact on the industry may cause the film's release to be pushed from its original year-end schedule to early 2024.

The SAG strike has garnered support from Hollywood heavyweights, with even the cast of Oppenheimer walking out of the film's London premiere as a show of solidarity. As the strike continues, how the industry will navigate the challenges and mitigate the effects of upcoming releases remains to be seen.

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