Vishek Chauhan is a disturbed man today. ‘Dejected’ would be a better word to describe him. Owner of Roopbani Cinema, Purnea (Bihar), he laments that although it has been a month since he reopened his cinema after the lockdown, audience footfalls have been pathetic. But that’s not the only reason why he is crestfallen. In fact, that’s not half as painful as the ‘torture’ inflicted upon him by the trade, which is the real cause for Vishek’s outburst that he’s seriously contemplating shutting down his cinema — maybe for good! Yes, you read it right. Chauhan just might close down his cinema, which was started in …., forever.
“The onus of restarting and reviving cinemas is only on us, nobody from the film industry wants to help us,” complains Vishek, adding, “Producers and distributors think, we have some magic wand with us, which can help revive business. They conveniently forget that they all owe their success to cinemas, and hence it is their bounden duty to help revive them by releasing their films in cinemas instead of OTT platforms. In Hollywood, Christopher Nolan puts his foot down and said, his Tenet would release in the cinemas only. But here, producers are busy selling their films for premiering on streaming platforms, and stars are shamelessly endorsing those very OTT platforms which are sounding the death-knell of cinemas like ours. ‘Get the multiplex experience at home, with popcorn et al,’ they are announcing. Why? For the lure of money? How greedy can our stars be? Where’s their loyalty towards cinemas gone? How can they forget that it is cinemas which have made them the huge stars they are?”
Vishek also rues the fact that producers are scared to release films in cinemas because they are not sure if people will come to the cinemas. “Why?” he questions, “haven’t Akshay Kumar or Ajay Devgan’s films flopped in the past that they are so scared of failure?” The Bihar exhibitor is all praise for Tamil film producers who released three new films within days of reopening cinemas. “There is a big line-up of releases for the ensuing Pongal in Tamil Nadu,” he avers. “Aren’t the producers of Tamil films bothered about recovering their investments?” he asks, and answers himself, “But for them, reviving cinemas is equally important. On the other hand, Bollywood producers are a selfish lot, bothered about only themselves. Cinemas are dying? Let them die for all we care, they must be telling themselves before committing film after film to OTT platforms,” he concludes. Vishek also cites the example of the Bengali film industry. “They at least made an attempt to revive cinemas in Bengal by releasing a number of films during Puja. But in Bollywood, we have no clue which film will release after Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari.”
“How can anybody do business in such an uncertain scenario?” wonders Chauhan. He also rues the fact that VPF (Virtual Print Fee), which was paid by producers/distributors thus far, has to now be borne by exhibitors, making a further dent into their earnings. “UFO, Qube and Real Image have given us a reprieve in the form of VPF waiver for a month but what after that?” he asks. “Looking to the way cinemas have been left high and dry, you will see hundreds of them in Northern India closing down for good now,” he predicts. “But do the stars care? I don’t think so. However, when they earn the bad-duas of the thousands of cinema employees, who will be rendered jobless when single-screen cinemas like mine shut down, the stars will realise that they should have read the writing on the wall.”
Reproduced below are the WhatsApp messages exchanged between Vishek Chauhan and your editor. Chauhan’s comments bring to the fore not just his anguish but also the heartburn of hundreds of single-screen cinemas across India.
WhatsApp messages (brackets ours):
Vishek: “Pathetic sales today.”
Komal: “Yes, people are scared. But attendance in some cinemas is 60%.”
Vishek: “Wow. 7-8% at my cinema. I think, I will close my cinema from next week. Till a proper big film releases. Or if it doesn’t, will convert my cinema.”
Komal: “What are you saying?”
Vishek: “Yes sir.”
Komal: “Why?”
Vishek: “Don’t have an option.”
Komal: “Convert to what?”
Vishek: Hotel.
Commercial complex.
Move on.
No big films in sight.
I see no point.
Elphinstone (cinema) closed in Patna.
Now VPF is on us.
If a big film will come, they will ask for 65% (of net collections).
No profit.
No future prospects.
Dismal future.
I am very disappointed.
But it’s time to move on, I guess.
Anyway, more than 50% screens will vanish from North India in the next 6 months.
And the exhibitors who will remain, will be at the mercy of OTT platforms and producers’ whims.
Sir, every single screen is worth 20-30 crores in small towns.
Do producers think, we even make 5% RoI?
Go through my books (of account).
By converting, I hope to get 6% rentals.
And (I’ll be) free from this constant bullying by producers and distributors.
It’s been more than a month since we have (re)opened.
Laxmii, Ludo and Chhalaang went to OTT.
Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari got released.
No future pipeline.
No films announced.
On the other hand, look at Tamil Nadu.
But Bollywood, no announcement.
Letting cinemas die.
Because they believe, we make crores on popcorn and samosas.
Despite your letter (to release Laxmii in single-screen cinemas), Akshay Kumar kept quiet.
What to expect from these people, Sir?
Can’t stake my future on these retards.
OTT pe do, OTT pe maro.
Jab cinema bandh ho jaayenge, tab chhote stars wala price milega bade stars ko bhi.
Bollywood has destroyed us, Sir.
No support.
Nothing.
Why should I stay?”
Are the stars listening? Are our producers and distributors listening? Is Bollywood listening?