The much-anticipated release of Thalapathy Vijay's upcoming film, Leo, is just around the corner, with its premiere scheduled for Thursday, October 19. The film has generated immense enthusiasm, owing to the presence of the superstar Vijay and the renowned director Lokesh Kanagaraj's involvement. The announcement video and trailers have received a rousing response from eager fans.

In the southern regions, the film is set for a historic opening, and even in certain pockets and theaters up North, the advance bookings have been quite encouraging. However, there's a twist in the tale, as Leo will receive a limited release in West, North, and East India. This decision stems from the refusal of the three major national multiplex chains—PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis—to showcase this action-packed entertainer.

The reason behind this restriction lies in the fact that Leo's Hindi version won't be screened in these national chains, as it is slated for release on an OTT platform in just four weeks. Since August 1, 2022, multiplexes have adhered to a new rule, allowing a film to grace their screens if it's slated for digital release after eight weeks. In recent times, the Hindi version of Rajinikanth's "Jailer" also saw a similar fate, being screened only in non-national chains and single-screen theaters, in light of the makers' desire for a quick OTT release.

Remarkably, the national chains have permitted the original Tamil version of Leo to be shown in their theaters, albeit not the Hindi rendition. This discrepancy has arisen due to the makers' reluctance to comply with the eight-week rule. When negotiations failed to find common ground, the major national multiplex chains made it clear that they couldn't proceed with the release.

Additional reports indicate that the film's makers had requested an 80% share, which was deemed unacceptable by the multiplexes. However, ongoing discussions are being held with the hope of resolving the matter amicably.

In a somewhat intriguing twist, while Leo won't feature midnight or early morning screenings in Tamil Nadu, the film's first showing will unfold in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and that too in the Hindi version. Sanelite Cinemas will proudly present Leo at 12:05 am, marking an exciting beginning for fans eager to catch this much-anticipated cinematic extravaganza.