Dibyendu Bhattacharya on delayed Chakda Xpress: 'It's a brilliant film and Anushka Sharma's best performance till now'

Even though it has been officially announced for two years, the release of Chakda Xpress, the cricket biography starring Anushka Sharma, is still up in the air. It was supposed to be the actor's return to the big screen following 2018's Zero. The film was based on the life of former Indian fast bowler Jhulan Goswami. Nevertheless, there is open doubt among fans and even members of the cast regarding the delay.

Dibyendu Bhattacharya echoes audience frustration

Dibyendu Bhattacharya, who plays a pivotal role, shared the feelings of bewildered viewers in an interview with News18. The actor said that the film is great, and he can't tell how terribly he's waiting for its release.

Even though the film wasn't finished at the time, Bhattacharya managed to attend a private showing at the home of director Prosit Roy. The actor revealed, "I always tell people… I watched it at Prosit’s place. I told him, ‘It’s not releasing, but since you have it, at least show it to me.’ He said it wasn’t completely finished, not everything had been done, but I watched it and… it is such a beautiful film."

ALSO READ: Anushka Sharma's Chakda 'Xpress shelved amid search for new OTT platform? Jhulan Goswami reacts

Anushka Sharma's career-best performance

When evaluating Sharma's performance, he was equally forthright. Bhattacharya shared, "It is the best performance of Anushka Sharma to date. I don’t know why they are not releasing it. It’s a really, really fantastic film."

"I have no idea," Bhattacharya said when questioned about the status of the project. The actor further said that he would have told about the movie first if he knew anything about it. With Clean Slate on one side and Netflix on the other, he's pretty confused. He doesn't understand what's happening between them.

Delays impact everyone in the industry

Bhattacharya also highlighted the wider effects of postponed releases. He went on to say, "As an actor, I really want the film to see the light of day. A lot of hard work goes into making a film. From the day research begins to the final print, it’s a long and emotionally invested journey. So many people are involved. So many ambitions ride on one film. Many families run on the income generated through it—technicians, daily wage workers. It’s very sad."

Then he concluded by saying, "I want the film to release immediately. And I’m telling you—it’s a fantastic film. A brilliant film. And Anushka’s best performance till now."

Production and distribution issues may be the cause

Anushka Sharma, who earlier produced the film under the Clean Slate Filmz brand (which her brother Karnesh Ssharma runs), initially announced Chakda Xpress in 2022. At first, the movie was going to be released on Netflix digitally. Clean Slate Filmz and Netflix allegedly split up in 2023, which slowed down the release of a number of films, including Chakda Xpress.

The production company may reclaim the film rights from Netflix and look for alternative distribution options, according to some industry sources. Clean Slate Filmz and Netflix have both remained silent on these developments.