Feb 18, 2026 4:06pm IST
‘They (Maddock Films) Are So Consumed By Big Movies Now That They Don’t Care About Small Films’: Director Navjot Gulati on ‘Pooja Meri Jaan’ Not Releasing
In July 2022, Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films announced a thriller film, “Pooja Meri Jaan,” starring Mrunal Thakur and Huma Qureshi in the lead. The shooting was completed in August 2022, with editing and post-production finished by the end of that year. Cut to now, three years later, the film still remains unreleased, leaving its director, cast and crew in prolonged uncertainty about its fate.
Frustrated by its continued delay, “Pooja Meri Jaan”’s director Navjot Gulati has now made an emotional appeal to Maddock Films, urging the production house to release his film for the sake of his deceased father, whose last wish was to see the film released. Speaking exclusively to Variety India, Gulati expressed his anguish over the uncertainty surrounding the film. “My father passed away in 2024. When he was on the deathbed for almost like three months, he kept asking me, 'When is your film coming?'. He left the world, but the film still remains in limbo.”
Gulati says that the film was completed smoothly, without any creative hurdles. It was commissioned for OTT and was initially supposed to premiere on Jio Cinema. However, following the merger between JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, the leadership of the merged entity reportedly informed producers that films commissioned under Jio could be sold to other platforms. The producers subsequently pitched the film to other streamers, but they are believed to have demanded a price no streaming platform is willing to pay, putting uncertainties on its release.
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“They want a better price, which is understandable to some point. You postponed it to 2024, then 2025, and now we're in February of 2026. One platform wants to buy the film, but their price negotiation has been going on for the last nine months now. This is an unending cycle. They will never sell it unless they don't get the price they're looking for. The reality is, they are so consumed by big movies now that they don't care about the small films they have made. Why can't Maddock release it in cinemas when they aren't getting the price on OTT?" questions Gulati.
The director reveals Amar Kaushik, who's a co-producer and greenlighted the film, has stopped answering his calls. Gulati's last conversation with him was in October 2025, and since then, he hasn't responded to his calls and messages. “I'm tired of calling and texting and yet not hearing back. The only reason I'm telling this to the world is because they refuse to have any sort of accountability. The film remains topical and relevant even today, but I fear if I don't do something, the film will never be released because they don't care about it. I don't want it to become Shoojit Sircar's Shoebite, which is only talked about but was never released.”
Apart from “Pooja Meri Jaan,” Maddock Films has also not released two other films, “Rumi Ki Sharafat” starring Radhikka Madan and “Sarvgunn Sampanna” featuring Vaani Kapoor. Gulati claims he is often asked to be patient, citing the delays faced by those films. The production house apparently attempted to sell all three projects as a bundled package to streaming platforms, but negotiations collapsed due to the high price they're demanding.
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For Gulati, the prolonged uncertainty around “Pooja Meri Jaan” has also affected his career prospects. “What they don't understand is that they're making so many films. Their life doesn't depend on this small film, but mine does. I'm not getting any work because this film is not releasing. Everyone thinks it might not be a good film, which is not actually the case. Everyone has liked the film. But when your film doesn't release despite being ready for three years and that too with a top producer, people look at you with questioning eyes.”
Gulati seems tired of sitting and waiting and is looking for at least some clarity on whether they want to even release it. “If they're clearly not getting the profit they're seeking, at least give me an option to buy it back. I'll find someone who likes the film and can buy it and release it, he says, adding, “Wherever I go, people ask about its release. Mrunal's and Huma’s fans flood my social media with questions. But how would I answer them when the producers are not answering me?”
“I just want to hold my hands and tell them to release the film because I and my cast and crew have been waiting for it for three years. It's a very important film. A lot of people have worked really hard on it, and I believe it's my life's best work. Everybody is doing great things in their lives, but they spent a lot of time on this, and it deserves to come out. I've made one more film, and that's also having release issues because of some different reasons, but the point is this is the film that was made first.”
Gulati is hopeful that his appeal reaches Dinesh Vijan and he's at least compelled to make an effort to release the film as soon as possible. “Now you can't ask me to be patient because I've been patient for three years. In these three years, they've released ten other films. If they really want, they can also release it in cinemas. They are not entirely dependent on OTT sales. It's a choice more than anything.”
We reached out to Maddock Films for comment, but we are yet to hear back from them.
Read More About: Amar Kaushik, Dinesh Vijan, Huma Qureshi, Mrunal Thakur, Navjot Gulati, Pooja Meri Jaan
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Heartbreaking to see Navjot Gulati still fighting for the release of Pooja Meri Jaan—no film that’s completed and loved by its team deserves to be trapped in limbo for years by Maddock Films.