The All India Cine Workers Association has complained to Union I & B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, demanding an inquiry into the reduction of screens for filmmaker Vinod Kapri’s Pyre following the release of Ramayana on 5th November. The AICWA has sought FIRs against cinema owners and distributors found responsible and demanded a formal screen allocation policy to protect independent and small-budget films from being eased out to accommodate big-budget fares.
Kapri claimed that Pyre, which was released on 30th October, lost around 75% of its screens within days of the release of Ramayana. The film, reported to have been made on a budget of Rs. 2.50 crore, had grown from 80 screens to almost 400 on the strength of positive word of mouth, but was pulled back to less than 100 screens once Ramayana was released. The net box-office collections of Pyre were as follows:
Day 1 (Friday): Rs. 8.50 lakh
Day 2 (Saturday): Rs. 25 lakh
Day 3 (Sunday): Rs. 45 lakh
Day 4 (Monday): Rs. 14 lakh
Day 5 (Tuesday): Rs. 18 lakh
Day 6 (Wednesday): Rs. 15.50 lakh
Day 7 (Thursday): Rs. 4.60 lakh
Day 8 (2nd week, Friday): Rs. 4.70 lakh
Day 9 (Saturday): Rs. 8.70 lakh
Day 10 (Sunday, Diwali day): Rs. 3.60 lakh
Day 11 (Monday): Rs. 20 lakh
Day 12 (Tuesday): Rs. 20 lakh
The letter to Vaishnaw highlighted the significance of small-budget films in the ecosystem alongside the importance of big-budget extravaganzas. AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta said in his letter, “I do not oppose Ramayana. It is a large-budget film that has given work to hundreds of workers, technicians, junior artistes, and artistes across every department. It should succeed so that producers profit and workers are paid on time. But a big film’s success should not come at the cost of a small film that audiences are already embracing.”
The AICWA letter lists several demands:
(i) a fair screen allocation policy for Indian cinema from the central government;
(ii) a grievance redressal mechanism to protect independent and small-budget films;
(iii) an impartial inquiry into why the screen count of Pyre was reduced despite strong audience response;
(iv) FIRs against cinema owners and distributors found guilty after the inquiry; and
(v) the immediate restoration of the maximum possible screens and shows for Pyre while the investigation was underway.
Meanwhile, bowing down to pressure, exhibitors have added 200 additional shows of Pyre from today (13th November) which is the beginning of its third week. Pyre is directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri and tells the story of an aged couple who continue to wait for their son as life in their Himalayan village abode grows emptier with each passing year. The film features first-time actors playing the aged couple and also stars newcomers in most of the other roles.
