Akshay Kumar’s much-awaited starrer cop drama ‘Sooryavanshi’ is set to open worldwide theatrically on this Diwali, director Rohit Shetty announced on Saturday.

The 48-year-old director took to social media to share the new release date of the film hours after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the reopening of cinema halls in the state from October 22, ANI reported from Mumbai.

“Thanks to our Honourable Chief Minister, Shri Uddhav Thackeray, theatres in Maharashtra to reopen from 22nd October. And FINALLY!!! we can say, This DIWALI…AA RAHI HAI POLICE…,” Shetty wrote.

‘Earlier in the day, a delegation of filmmakers and theatre owners including Rohit met Thackeray to discuss the reopening of cinema halls across Maharashtra, a key territory for movie business – which was shut since April this year due to the second wave of COVID-19.

The film was originally scheduled to release on March 24, 2020, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, which led to theatre shutdown across the country.

The makers then planned a Diwali 2020 premiere but had to postpone it to April 30 this year.

It is the fourth film in Shetty’s cop universe, which also features blockbusters Ajay Devgn’s ‘Singham’, ‘Singham Returns’, and Ranveer Singh’s ‘Simmba’.

Both Devgn and Singh will be seen in cameo appearances in ‘Sooryavanshi’, which also features Katrina Kaif.

‘Sooryavanshi’ is presented by Reliance Entertainment and produced by Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films.

‘Sooryavanshi’ will be the first big Bollywood project to release in theatres during the pandemic. It will have a box office clash with Marvel Studios’ much-anticipated epic adventure movie ‘Eternals’, which is scheduled to hit the screens on November 5.