The failure of Tubelight has affected exhibition trade in two ways. The main one was that — it did not meet the exhibitors’ expectations as the opening day response was disappointing. Peaking of the film on Eid day and Baasi Eid day did not happen.
In fact, unlike previous Salman Khan movies, which excelled on two days of Eid festivities, Tubelight registered a drop. While Eid day (Monday) figures were below the opening day figures, the next day showed a drop of as much as 40 per cent.
The collections went downhill from Tuesday.
The other way how the cinemas suffered was because, when a big star’s film releases, it is expected to carry on for at least 10 to 14 days. In view of a big film release, no other film wants to come in its shadow due to which the following Friday is kept open or, an inconsequential small film gets some limited shows.
The cinema halls suffered because of Tubelight even in the week following its release. The only release to follow was Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deewana Tha, an indulgent film made to launch a family scion, Shiv Darshan, by its producer-director Suneel Darshan.
The first half of the year 2017 has been disastrous for the exhibition trade. Only one small budget film, Hindi Medium, has worked. Though the film is a big hit in relation to investment, it is not the money-spinner that the cinemas crave.
The film that saved the day for cinemas is Bahubali 2: The Conclusion (Dubbed), South’s gift to exhibitors. Save for these two films besides some English features, it has been a bad first half of the year.
* Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deewana Tha met with ‘No audience No Show’ welcome from its day one. The collection figures for the weekend remained below Rs 50 lakh.
* Tubelight, which entailed big investments from its theatrical distributors, has put them in distress as they are faced with huge losses. The film’s lifetime business is not even expected to match the opening weekend business of Salman Khan’s last two releases, Rustom and Bajrangi Bhaijan! And, this is a huge setback.
Tubelight ended its first week with a total of Rs 103.7 crore (Rs 1037 million). The second weekend has failed to pull audience registering poor collections of about seven crore (Rs 70 million) rupees.
* Rest of the recent releases fared poorly.
* Hindi Medium has come to the end of its good run at the box office.
* Bahubali 2: The Conclusion just about ends its glorious, record setting run by adding a symbolic Rs 40 lakh (Rs 4 million) in its ninth week.
