If lack of hit music was the reason for last week’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani not taking a flying start, what was the reason for the increase in collections on Saturday and Sunday?

– Mouth publicity. Since people coming out of the cinemas spoke well about the film, collections picked up during the weekend.

Between Gadar 2 and OMG 2, which, according to you, will take a better initial on 11th August?

– I think, GADAR 2 will open bigger than OMG 2, at least in the North Indian circuits like Delhi-U.P., East Punjab and Rajasthan.

Can’t a programme be devised for the fair allotment of shows to new and already-running films in multiplexes every week?

– That’s a very tough call because one would not know what the public response to a new film would be.

What was the logic of releasing Hindi Liger in non-Southern circuits on Thursday in the night shows only? And the logic of releasing the Telugu or Tamil dubbed version of the film in the non-Southern circuits on Thursday from morning itself?

– None which comes to the mind. If anything, the poor attendance in cinemas screening the Telugu or Tamil dubbed version in the day-time shows on Thursday (August 25) only served to underline that the opening was terrible.

Why is there no major film releasing next week?

– Perhaps, because of the Ganesh festival which falls next week. Since Ganesh Chaturthi falls on Wednesday, 31st August, producers must’ve steered clear of the following Friday (2nd September).

What do you make out of the recent line of flops in Bollywood?

– It’s the period of churning. New talent will come in place of the old creators who refuse to pull up their socks.

What are your predictions about the first day’s collections of Tiger 3? Will the opening day’s figure be the highest ever?

– The first day’s figure can’t be the highest ever because the film will release on the day of Diwali (Laxmi pooja). This may be a festive holiday but a lot of public of The Hindu community do not frequent cinemas on that day because they are bust with the festivities which include the Laxmi pooja, visiting family, relatives and friends, bursting crackers, etc. Also, several cinemas suspend a show or two on that day so that their staff members can celebrate the festival (including performing the Laxmi pooja) with their families. Shows suspended translates in to loss of revenue.

Will Vikrant Massey now get offers of commercial films from regular and big banners, after the success of his 12th Fail?

– He should! It will be a tragedy if commercial filmmakers and big producers even now don’t consider him as an actor who can deliver. But, I think, producers will wake up to the fact that he is a fantastic actor.

Why did producer Dinesh Vijan release Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video in cinemas without any publicity or promotion?

– Yes, you are right. He shouldn’t have released it in cinemas without enough promotion. The film was actually made for OTT release. A theatrical release was an afterthought.

Will the producers of Sooryavanshi make profits in the final tally? Or have they paid so much interest for the 20 months of delay that all their profits have been wiped off?

– They will comfortably make a good amount of profit. Of course, had there been no lockdown, their profit figure would have been far more but considering the delay, the profit figure expected now is also substantial.

Why did Sanjay Leela Bhansali shift the release date of his Gangubai Kathiawadi? Is there much logic in coming just a week after Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha which is slated for release on 11th February?

– Sanjay Leela Bhansali must’ve realised the futility of clashing with another giant, RRR. As for coming a week after another big film, LAAL SINGH CHADDHA, there are rumours that it may be postponed and hence Bhansali has chosen 18th February as the date of release for his film.

G?

– Y.

What purpose does the annual FRAMES event, organised by FICCI, serve?

– There aren’t too many events held in the film industry, where people can meet one another. FRAMES is a good place for the industry people to do some networking. This is one of the biggest takeaways of the annual event.

Why was the advance booking for Vikram Vedha not up to the mark in spite of the rave reviews its trailer was getting?

– Since it appears to be an action-oriented mass-appealing film, its advance was not very good. Masses usually prefer buying tickets from current booking windows. Of course, this is not a golden rule but it’s often the case.

Is there any movement in the film industry to streamline admission rates in cinemas, after the stupendous success of the National Cinema Day on 23rd September in terms of footfalls at low ticket rates?

– Things don’t move so fast in the film industry. The very fact that the industry people have started to think in terms of rationalisation of the admission rates structure is in itself a big thing!

It took several years for the box-office record of Bahubali 2: The Conclusion (Hindi dubbed) to be broken by Pathaan. How many years will it now take for the record of Pathaan to be surpassed?

– There’s no science or mathematical calculation to arrive at the answer to your question. It could happen within a few weeks or it could take several years for the record of PATHAAN to be broken. 

Why did Bholaa not touch even Rs. 100 crore? Does it mean that the film was rejected by the audience?

– Had BHOLAA been rejected by the public, it wouldn’t have been possible for it to cross Rs. 75 crore in three weeks. Its complete alienation of the ladies and family audience restricted its appeal to the mass base of audience only. Another reason why it could not inch its way to the Rs. 100-crore mark is the fact that lakhs of people had already seen the original, Tamil KAITHI (of which BHOLAA is a remake), on the various platforms available, either with subtitles or dubbed in Hindi.

Will Salman Khan’s next be Sooraj Barjatya’s film?

– Yes, Salman Khan will star in Sooraj Barjatya’s next. But it will be a few months before that film starts.

I’ve heard that collections of Brahmastra today (opening day) are very good for the 3D version but not up to the mark for the 2D version. Why is there so much disparity?

– The disparity is because the initial audience wants to experience the film in 3D as they knew from its trailers that the film would have visual effects of the kind never seen before in a Hindi film.

What kind of an opening do you expect Vikram Vedha to take on 30th September?

– Earth-shattering. The film’s teaser and trailer have created such a phenomenal impact on the public that the audience is literally waiting to watch the Saif-Hrithik. You can expect the first day’s collections to be upward of Rs. 30 crore!

Has the opening of Brahmastra changed anything in Bollywood?

– It definitely has! The fantastic collections of the first day’s shows have come like a morale booster for the industry people. Films had been flopping with such alarming regularity that the trade people had forgotten what it was like to experience a bumper opening.

Will Prithviraj also be postponed?

– Your guess is as good as ours. No producer will release his film till there’s a semblance of normalcy.

To what do you explain the phenomenal collections of Pushpa: The Rise Part 1 (dubbed)?

– To its phenomenal content and to the phenomenal word of mouth.

What does Spider-Man: No Way Home surpassing the business of Sooryavanshi and emerging as the highest grosser of 2021 indicate?

– That satellite channels and digital platforms have blurred the lines between the film industries of the world.