It is a battle of sorts. The war for getting the maximum shows for the two major releases of Dassera has started. The all-India distributor of the Hindi dubbed version of Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1 has fired the first salvo by writing to all-India exhibitors that there would be no sharing of shows as far as the following screens are concerned: IMAX, single-screen, multiplexes with two and three screens. The mail, that has gone out by AA Films, distributor of the dubbed version of the South film, further adds the number of shows the film would need in other multiplexes as:
4 screens: 21 shows
5 screens: 27 shows
6 screens: 30 shows
7 screens: 36 shows
8 screens: 42 shows
9 screens: 48 shows
10 screens and more: 54 shows
As is evident, that leaves hardly any shows for the other big release of 2nd October, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. Of course, there’s a difference between demanding and being allotted shows. The confidence of AA Films arises from the fact that Kantara was a sleeper hit and the franchise has become one of the most exciting in recent times. Obviously, the craze among exhibitors to screen the second film — which is actually a prequel to the first part — in the series is immense. On the other hand, Sunny… Tulsi is produced by Dharma Productions, one of the biggest production houses of Bollywood. Not only has Dharma produced some of the biggest hits and super hits of Hindi cinema but it also has a supremely regular flow of films all through each year and, therefore, exhibitors — whether single-screen cinemas or national multiplex chains as well as stand-alone multiplexes — will have to think ten times before shortchanging Dharma.
Anyway, there’s still a week to go before the two films fight for public attention. But even before the battle of the box-office, the war for shows has begun. While the trade will get juicy stories (about the showcasing drama) to circulate in the days to come, the fight for shows is bound to give exhibitors, bookers and programmers sleepless nights and probably visits to the doctor for rising blood pressure.