The new rules of film industry

As far as the film industry is concerned, the success of a film is usually rated according to the number of days a film can sustain and stay in the theatres. That has changed now. With films opening in more number of theatres across regions, extending to other parts of the country and even the overseas market, it is the opening weekend collection that really matters these days. Production houses spare no efforts to ensure that their project has a fantastic opening draw at the box-office so that they are able to recover the cost of the film in the first week itself. The fact that the film may not sustain any more than the opening week is another aspect altogether.

MORE SCREEN SPACE

Even small films are getting released in more number of screening halls to ensure recovery of the cost of production. That way even if the collections begin to drop after a couple of days, at least losses have been averted, if not kept to the minimum.
Take the case of a small budget film Nadodigal, for instance. A film that would normally have opened in less than 100 screens, stretched its expenses by way of extra prints and released in nearly 160 screens across Tamil Nadu. That the film is having an extraordinary run at the box-office even now has only enhanced its collections.
While Hollywood big budget flicks hit around 4000 theatres, a Bollywood big budget bonanza enjoys half of it (close to over 1600 screens). Mega star Chiranjeevi’s son Ram Charan Teja whose second film Magadheera opened in about 900 screens globally, reported a profitable revenue by the turn of the first week, that’s after the cost of production was recovered in the first week too. Vikram’s Kandaswamy has opened in over 900 screens.

PRINT COSTS DOWN

The cost of releasing a film in a large number of screens has been drastically scaled down owing to the up-gradation of theatres where digital screening is now possible. While a digital print costs less than Rs 15,000, the conventional print would set back producers by close to Rs 75,000. So more the number of digital prints released in more number of theatres ensures better and bigger revenue, that too in less time.

THE HYPE HELPS

Aggressive marketing and promotions do contribute to a film’s hype as well. The music release of Kanden Kadhalai had Imtiaz Ali, the maker of the original Jab We Met, as a special invitee who applauded Kannan, the director of the Tamil version, mentioning that he had rectified the mistakes he had made in the original. Ali made the remark after seeing a couple of song sequences in Kanden Kadhalai. For the special preview of the film, the pair of the original film — Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor are expected to be invited. What more hype could possibly be needed? But kannada film Raj-the showman has failed to make money over the hype it created. Theatres were empty in the second day itself.