It was expected to raise its ugly head for the two major releases of the Diwali week. And it sure has resurfaced just days before the festive occasion. One is talking about the fight for shows and screens between the two Diwali releases — Thamma and Deewaniyat. Just two weeks back, we saw the drama playing out between Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1 (dubbed) and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. The producers and distributors of the Kantara prequel had put unreasonable demands on national multiplex chains, stand-alone multiplexes, and single-screen cinemas as far as allotment of shows and screens for their film was concerned. Emails had been dashed off demanding such a large number of shows that it would seem, they were expecting the first day to be Rs. 55-60 crore. But the net collections on the first day totalled Rs. 18.50 crore only. No doubt, the film is a super-hit in Hindi but that’s not the point.
The point being underlined here is that even if the producers and distributors of Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1 (dubbed) had not been so demanding, nothing would’ve changed. It would’ve still done the numbers it did in the first week and is doing in subsequent weeks.
Well, the same battle is now being fought between the producers and distributors of Thamma and of Deewaniyat. The only difference between the two battles of the box-office is that the earlier battle was more of equals while the current one is of unequals. The producers of both, Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1 and Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, were big. As against this, the producer of Deewaniyat is a rank newcomer. On the other hand, Thamma is produced by the mighty Dinesh Vijan. There is another very big difference. Thamma is being released all over by PVR Inox. Since PVR Inox is also the biggest exhibitor of the country, it is very easy for it to swing the show allocation and the screen allocation in favour of the film which it is distributing and against the other film (Deewaniyat). In that sense, this Diwali will witness a clash between David and Goliath.
The producers of Deewaniyat, on their part, have decided to take on PVR Inox head-on. Said a source wishing to remain anonymous, “When PVR Inox tried to force the producers of Deewaniyat to take far lesser number of shows, the latter declined the offer. They (Deewaniyat producers) are willing to release their film without screening it in any PVR Inox property!” It may be mentioned here that the other national multiplex chain (Cinepolis), stand-alone multiplexes and many single-screen cinemas are not toeing the line of PVR Inox insofar as the show and screen allotment for the two films is concerned. PVR Inox has, therefore, started the advance booking of only Thamma whereas the other cinemas have opened the advance bookings of both the Diwali releases.
Since PVR Inox is the market leader in the exhibition trade, it would’ve been expected that the other national multiplex chains, stand-alone multiplexes and single-screen cinemas would follow the show and screen allotment pattern decided by PVR Inox. But that hasn’t happened. PVR Inox is overlooking the fact that the music of Deewaniyat is chart busting. It is also overlooking the fact that the combination of hit music and hero Harshvardhan Rane showed its magic when Sanam Teri Kasam did extraordinary business in its repeat-run last year. Deewaniyat, which boasts of hit music, also stars Harshvardhan Rane.
Frankly, it is not about Kantara A Legend: Chapter 1 (dubbed) versus Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, or Thamma versus Deewaniyat. Tomorrow, it could be a tug-of-war between two new films. The point is: how long will the mighty try to crush competition by stifling the voice of the weak. Such bullying tactics won’t stand in the Competition Commission of India (CCI). It’s just a matter of time before someone actually decides to bring these unfair trade practices to the notice of the CCI.
