‘Hichki’ release shifted to March 23

Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS) Fans of actress Rani Mukerji will have to wait a little longer to watch her comeback film "Hichki" as its release date has been shifted from February 23 to March 23. The decision has been taken by Yash Raj Films keeping in mind the audience that will come post exam period.

Yash Raj Films (YRF) on Thursday announced the date change for the movie, which is about turning disadvantages into opportunities.

YRF head honcho Aditya Chopra is said to have been convinced by the marketing and distribution team at the banner that "Hichki" needs a release window that could bring in more audience.

Producer Maneesh Sharma said in a statement: "The multiple screenings of 'Hichki' saw outstanding reactions. The audience in attendance have called it one of the best content driven and heartwarming movies to ever come out of YRF. So naturally, the reaction of the team is that does Hichki currently have the best release date to get an extended run in cinemas across India."

He described it as an "out and out family movie that will entertain audiences across all age groups".

"The YRF team decided that 23 March, 2018 is the best release date for 'Hichki', especially given the post exam scenario for students and families - the most relevant target audience for this film," Sharma added.

Manan Mehta, Vice President - Marketing and Merchandising, YRF said: "With exams out of the way, March 23 gives us the opportunity to reach out to and speak to the youth, especially school students, and their families as this film is extremely relevant to them."

Rani plays Naina Mathur, who has a nervous system disorder, Tourette Syndrome that forces an individual to make involuntary repetitive movements or sounds.

Directed by Siddharth P Malhotra, the film essentially is about staring down at challenges that life throws at one and ultimately winning over them, apart from being a subtle reminder about discrimination that exists in our society.

It highlights this through the story of Naina, who faces discrimination from society that firmly believes she cannot be a teacher because of her disorder.