Is it right to keep ego in business?
It is not uncommon to see distributors and exhibitors disagree over terms. Distributors will invariably insist on more or better shows than those offered to their films by exhibitors. Similarly, exhibitors are rarely, if ever, satisfied with the sharing terms offered by distributors. But most of the times, a via media is found out and all’s well, that ends well.
But sometimes, it doesn’t end too well!
Like it happened in the case of this week’s Bholaa in C.P. Berar. The distributors (Panorama-PVR) of the film wanted terms almost or exactly matching those given by exhibitors to Yash Raj Film Distributors for Pathaan. And when those exhibitors did not agree to treat Bholaa as they had Pathaan, Panorama-PVR simply blacklisted the cinemas of those exhibitors. In this way, a mass, action film like Bholaa did not release in cinemas like Prabhat and Rajlaxmi of Amravati, Manek of Akola and Panch-Sheel of Nagpur. Why, the best performing multiplex of Chhattisgarh — Colors Mall in Raipur — is also not screening Bholaa this week for the same reason of disagreement of revenue sharing terms! Liberty and Alankar cinemas of Nagpur, and Regal of Akola are other cinemas where Bholaa should’ve released because they are frequented by the kind of audience which would’ve loved Bholaa.
So whose loss is it? Panorama-PVR are apt to say that it serves the cinemas right for not bowing down to their demands. But the truth is that Panorama-PVR will also lose lakhs of rupees as the abovementioned cinemas could’ve given handsome shares after screening Bholaa.
A C.P. Berar trader, on condition of anonymity, said, “Panorama and PVR will lose more than Rs. 35-40 lakh by not releasing Bholaa at approximately 15-20 cinemas in C.P. Berar circuit merely because their unreal demand was not fulfilled by the exhibitors.” It doesn’t need to be underlined that C.P. Berar circuit has a large audience base which adores films starring Ajay Devgan, especially of the kind Bholaa is. The same trader added, “Firstly, nobody would treat Pathaan and Bholaa as equals. Besides, Bholaa has come during Ramzan and in the month- and financial year-end. It has had to contend with so many oppositions including IPL cricket matches which have started today (31st March).”
Wonder, what producer-director-star Ajay Devgan has to say to this!
