The stage is finally set for the Diwali dhamaka. The showcasing tension is behind the multiplex chains and the single-screen cinemas and it is also a thing of the past for the all-India distributors of both the films. The issue of the allotment of shows to Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 was finally resolved last evening. In the multiplexes, Rohit Shetty’s multi-star cast film in the Singham franchise has been given 60% of the shows, leaving the balance 40% for the third film in the Bhool Bhulaiyaa series.
Anil Thadani, the all-India distributor of BB 3, was trying hard for the showcasing ratio to be 55:45, the former (55%) for Singham Again and the latter (45%) for his own BB 3. The tension was more pronounced in the national multiplex chains because most of the single-screen cinemas had already finalised 50:50 for the two films. Since the stand-alone multiplexes go by what the national multiplex chains decide, the problem, in a way, affected all the multiplex chains. The matter was rendered more complex because the distribution rights of Singham Again vest with PVR Inox. So, PVR Inox is not just the largest national multiplex chain which can swing the showcasing in a particular way but in the case of the Diwali releases, it is also the all-India distributor of one of the two films, viz. Singham Again.
After a lot of discussions, meetings, telephone calls, arguments and counter-arguments, the issue was resolved late last evening when Anil Thadani agreed to settle for 45% of the shows in the multiplexes. The advance booking for both the films has since opened and is very brisk.
The outcome of the showcasing drama is pretty much what Information had last week predicted in its ‘You Asked It’ column. To a query from a reader about how the shows would be allocated between the two Diwali releases, Information had replied thus:
In all probability, SINGHAM AGAIN will get 55-60% of the shows while BHOOL BHULAIYAA 3 will get 40-45%. In many single-screen cinemas, the show allotment will be 50:50. Since SINGHAM AGAIN is being distributed all-India by PVR-Inox Pictures, you can be sure that the showcasing in PVR-Inox chain will be tilted in favour of its own film. On the other hand, we must not forget that the all-India distributor of BB 3 is Anil Thadani, who is a very big distributor with an enviable line-up of forthcoming releases so that exhibitors cannot afford to antagonise him with shows which are very less as compared to SINGHAM AGAIN.
Once again, the words of Film Information have proved prophetic.
