EXCLUSIVE: Director Arun Gopalan Reveals Why John Abraham Starrer Tehran Is NOT Releasing In Theatres; Says, “OTT Gives The Film…”

A couple of days ago, the makers of John Abraham, Manushi Chhillar and Neeru Bajwa’s much-awaited action thriller, Tehran unveiled the film’s trailer. Alongside the trailer, they also announced that the film will be skipping a theatrical release and premiering directly on ZEE5 the day before Independence Day. This announcement has resulted in many wondering why such a decision was made.

The film’s director, Arun Gopalan has now exclusive opened up about the film’s digital release instead of theatrical screening.

Arun Gopalan On John Abraham’s Tehran Releasing On OTT & Not In Theatres

When asked his feelings regarding Tehran bypassing a theatrical release and releasing directly on OTT, director Arun Gopalan expressed mixed feelings. Highlighting the film’s scale and ambition, the director said, “There’s a certain magic to a dark theatre. You can’t argue that. Some of us have childishly played out scenes in an imaginary screen almost a hundred times… in between long drives and lazy afternoons – that shared silence, the experience of watching Tehran unfold larger than life, especially when it was crafted with intent, hard work, scale, detail and ambition.”

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He continued, “But at the same time, releasing directly on OTT gives the film something equally powerful: reach. It breaks down borders. Overnight, Tehran becomes accessible to viewers across continents, in their own homes, in their own language, on their own terms. And for a story that’s deeply international in its themes and scope, that kind of exposure is incredibly meaningful. So yes, I’m going to miss my first theatrical energy. But I also value the immediacy of this platform. In a way, it mirrors the film itself – crossing borders, sparking conversation, and reaching people where they are.”

About Tehran

Tehran is an intense Hindi action-thriller starring John Abraham and Manushi Chhillar in lead roles. Inspired by real events and set against the backdrop of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, the movie explores the shifting dynamics of international politics. The film stars John Abraham as ACP Rajeev Kumar, Neeru Bajwa as Sheilaja and Manushi Chhillar as SI Divya Rana. It also features Madhurima Tuli and Elnaaz Norouzi in pivotal roles.

Directed by Arun Gopalan, the film is produced by Dinesh Vijan, Sandeep Leyzell, and Shobhna Yadav. The screenplay has been written by Ritesh Shah and Ashish Prakash Verma. It is set to premiere on ZEE5 on August 14, coinciding with India’s Independence Day.

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Also Read: John Abraham’s Action Thriller Tehran FINALLY Gets A Release Date; Actor Looks Intense In First Look Poster

Grinell Jacinto

With nearly 10 years of experience, Grinell Esther Jacinto is the Desk Head of Bollywood Bubble. Her interests lie in everything that is kaleshi and she loves to dig deeper into the lives of B-town actors. She has a problem though – she loves horror films but will have chills the minute the theatres lights dims. She’s previously worked with Koimoi, UrbanAsian and SpotboyE.