Maddock Films is resetting the release calendar for Shakti Shalini, steering the horror-comedy away from a December 2026 collision with Shah Rukh Khan’s King and toward a tentatively clearer March 2027 window.
The date rethink
Shakti Shalini, directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, introduces Aneet Padda as the newest lead in Dinesh Vijan’s horror-comedy universe. The title had been under consideration for Christmas 2026, a slot that would have placed it directly against King. A source told Mid-day, in a report carried by Bollywood Hungama, that the studio now wants a “solo release” for Padda after the 2025 blockbuster Saiyaara.
The operational logic is not that the film lacks festival scale. It is that a young lead who has just delivered a hit needs headroom. A clear corridor protects opening-day screens, marketing attention and the long-tail legs that horror-comedy titles often generate.
Why March, not January or February
The early 2027 release calendar is already packed. The source pointed to a slate that includes:
- January: Love and War and Golmaal 5
- February: Naagzilla and Ayushmann Khurrana’s Mupapa
- March: a relatively freer corridor, though a date is yet to be locked
What the calendar move signals
Maddock’s horror-comedy universe, built through Stree, Bhediya and Munjya, is now among the more bankable IP engines in Hindi cinema. Shakti Shalini is positioned as the next expansion: Sarpotdar blends folklore and supernatural comedy, with Padda joined by Vishal Jethwa and Nana Patekar, and the story introduces a female-centric spirit lore to enlarge the franchise world.
For media planners and exhibition teams, this is not merely one film changing dates. It is a signal that franchise strength is being used to select a corridor, not to fight for one. Even a festival-ready film can leave money on the table if it has to split premium screens and audience attention with a mega-budget tentpole.
For distribution teams, the playbook is counterprogramming: place a differentiated genre film in a window with less direct competition, even if that means leaving a holiday. The economics work only when the title has enough brand equity to open on its own, and Maddock’s track record gives it that credibility.
That said, a “freer” window is only freer until other films adjust. The date remains unofficial while post-production continues, and Maddock is expected to lock it soon. The real test for the March plan will be the competitive set that forms around it, not the announcement itself.
What to watch next
Until Maddock locks the date, distribution teams should keep an eye on two things: whether March stays clear, and whether the release shift changes the promotional calendar for a film built on franchise continuity. A further shift would also move the box office narrative for the horror-comedy slate.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com
