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Tag: Theatres

  • From screen to streaming, a new script for Indian entertainment : Ficci Frames

    From screen to streaming, a new script for Indian entertainment : Ficci Frames

    MUMBAI: Lights, camera, transformation! The entertainment industry is in the midst of a plot twist as digital platforms rewrite the rules of audience engagement. At FICCI Frames 2025, industry stalwarts dissected the evolving landscape, debating whether theatres and streaming services could co-exist in a mutually profitable sequel or if the latter would be the ultimate showstopper.

    Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and Netflix India’s VP of content, Monika Shergill, took centre stage in a panel discussion moderated by Saurabh Varma of Content Engineers. The discussion zeroed in on how streaming platforms have not just altered viewing habits but also reshaped Indian storytelling.

    With India’s digital entertainment market projected to hit $13 billion by 2027, streaming platforms are no longer just an alternative, they’re an essential part of the ecosystem. Shergill highlighted how Indian content is increasingly gaining global traction, with 60 per cent of Netflix India’s viewership coming from international audiences. “The power of streaming lies in its ability to amplify diverse narratives,” she said, emphasising how regional content is breaking barriers.

    But does this mean curtains for theatres? Not quite, argued Mehta. “Cinema has a soul that streaming can’t replicate. But the audience is demanding smarter, more immersive experiences,” he noted. With over 10,000 screens in India, he said, exhibitors are innovating enhanced sound, premium formats, and event-based screenings are drawing viewers back.

    The discussion underscored that storytelling now hinges on data-driven insights. “Streaming has democratised content creation. Today, analytics shape scripts as much as creative instincts do,” said Shergill. Mehta echoed the sentiment but warned against formulaic storytelling driven purely by metrics.

    While Hindi cinema’s box office has seen a 15 per cent recovery post-pandemic, OTT subscriptions in India have skyrocketed, with 450 million users now consuming digital content. “It’s a hybrid future,” Mehta admitted. “Theatres will continue to be the temple of cinema, but streaming is the pulpit from where stories reach the world.”

    With international audiences embracing Indian content like never before, streaming platforms have become a powerful gateway for cross-cultural storytelling. From rooted Indian narratives like The Railway Men to high-octane thrillers, OTT platforms are catering to an increasingly global fanbase. “It’s no longer just about Hindi cinema; it’s about India’s rich tapestry of stories,” Shergill pointed out.

    Meanwhile, theatrical releases are also seeing a shift towards large-scale, event-driven experiences. Films that promise visual spectacle historical epics, superhero sagas, and big-ticket entertainers continue to bring audiences to cinemas. “The future of theatres lies in making movie-watching an event, not just a routine,” Mehta observed.

    As India’s entertainment industry rides this digital wave, one thing is clear content consumption is no longer bound by screens or schedules. Hybrid distribution models are emerging, where films are simultaneously released in cinemas and on streaming platforms. Innovative experiments like pay-per-view premieres and interactive storytelling formats are also gaining traction.

    “The lines between mediums are blurring, and that’s not a bad thing,” Varma concluded. “We’re in the middle of a creative renaissance where technology and storytelling go hand in hand.”

    Whether it’s a theatrical blockbuster or a binge-worthy series, the show must go on and in this digital era, the audience is always in the director’s chair.

  • The matter of high ticket & F&B pricing in cinema halls

    The matter of high ticket & F&B pricing in cinema halls

    MUMBAI: Film maker Karan Johar’s plaint that high ticket and F&B prices are what are keeping cinema-goers away from theatres has been seriously objected to by the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) which has issued a clarification. 

    It may be recalled that Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar and other directors had sat down and done a free-wheeling conversation with the debut podcast of The Hollywood Reporter India editor Anupama Chopra, the video of which was released earlier this week. During the course of the chit-chat, Johar had mentioned that a single visit to the cinema would set back a family by about Rs 10,000; hence the visits have fallen, films are failing  and the box office is getting affected. 

    MAI president Kamal Gianchandani has issued a note in which he has stated that the issue of ticket pricing and F&B needs to be viewed in a “more balanced manner.”

    According to Gianchandani, the average ticket price (ATP) in 2023 across all theatres in India was Rs 130 per ticket. “The country’s largest cinema chain, PVRInox, reported an ATP of Rs 258 for the fiscal year 2023-24. Additionally, the Average spend per head (SPH) on F&B at PVRIox during this period stood at Rs 132. This brings the total average expenditure for a family of four to Rs 1,560 —significantly different from the Rs 10,000 figure carried in the media reports,” he explained.

    Gianchandani further pointed out that cinema pricing is dynamic and flexible and fluctuates based on factors like location, day of the week, seat type, film format, and cinema format. “Exhibitors utilise sophisticated digital tools to stimulate audience demand and optimize pricing, frequently offering discounts and promotions that make cinema outings more affordable, not just during off-peak times but even on popular days. Many of these initiatives can lower the overall cost of a cinema visit by more than 50 per cent providing families and moviegoers with affordable options. All pricing structures are clearly listed both at cinemas and online, ensuring transparency and choice for customers,” he elucidated.

    “More than anything else, it’s a well-recognised fact that the demand for a film is largely driven by its content and appeal, rather than by pricing alone. Any evaluation of pricing in the cinema industry must account for the broader economics of the movie business, which involves multiple stakeholders, including producers, distributors, and exhibitors. Each of these players contributes to the final cost to consumers, with prices ultimately shaped by the market forces of demand and supply. If lowering prices could optimize revenue for everyone involved, cinema operators would naturally make those adjustments without needing to be told. “

    “Additionally, unavoidable factors such as inflation play a role, and India has historically experienced high inflation rates. Nevertheless, cinema exhibitors continuously experiment with pricing models, collecting customer feedback and leveraging data analytics to refine their strategies,” he spelt out. “This ensures that the current pricing is both competitive and fair in the context of today’s market.” 

    Gianchandani concluded the note whilst saying: “At the heart of it all, our industry remains committed to delivering a diverse, high-quality, and accessible entertainment experience for all moviegoers. We believe it’s crucial to consider the full picture before drawing conclusions about pricing, as it’s a complex issue involving many moving parts. The goal remains the same: to provide audiences with the best possible experience at a fair value.”

  • Tips Films’ dependence on box office success is continuously reducing: Tips Films MD Kumar Taurani

    Tips Films’ dependence on box office success is continuously reducing: Tips Films MD Kumar Taurani

    Mumbai: “The film industry provides a very good opportunity to scale up operations very profitably and with very low risk,” quoted Tips Films managing director Kumar Taurani during the conference call conducted to announce the company’s quarterly results. He added that Tips’s plan is to scale up to releasing 12 films a year in the coming three to five years.

    “The dependence on box office success is continuously reducing, as the other three rights (music, video, & OTT) contribute a substantial part of the movie’s cost. Going forward, Tips Films very roughly expects its revenue distribution to be 30 per cent from digital rights, 30 per cent from domestic theatrical rights, 15 per cent from satellite rights, 15 per cent from music rights, and 10 per cent from overseas theatrical rights. We will have more clarity on these proportions over the next six to 12 months with more releases,” he stated further.

    He laid emphasis on the fact that the budgeting of a movie is a critical aspect in deciding its profitability. “Hence during this process, we seek the input of key company executives responsible for our major revenue streams, such as music, television broadcast, OTT distribution & marketing, and overseas release. The financial position analysis in these areas is based on all available information, including the screenplay, budget, schedule, director, producer, and principal cast. We currently have three films under production and are close to signing a deal for one of them. We will disclose more details once the deal is finalised.”

    He mentioned that the feature film format of 80 to 180 minutes of character-driven storytelling remains very relevant to today’s audience.

    Historically, movie business revenue was based on satellite rights, video rights, music rights, & domestic and overseas theatrical rights. This revenue distribution saw a disruption in the early 2000s. And music and video rights could not provide adequate monetisation for films for about 15 years, due to technological disruption. The disruption phase he described is now over. “Over the last three to four years, the film industry has seen a drastic change as a result of multiple OTT platforms and the revenue monetisation capability of music rights.”

    When asked about the duration of making a film, he said that pre-production takes two to three months. He said that, but production these days, depending on the film, can be done in 20 to 25 days; just say 100 days; or if there is a very big film, then maybe 150 days. Postproduction takes three to four months, depending on the number of visual effects in the film. If there is a lot of VFX in the film, it will take longer; eight to nine months is also possible; otherwise, two or three months is sufficient.

    When asked about the future of theatres given the OTT competition, he noted that everything will survive. OTT will survive; audiences are different. “Sometimes senior people want to go to the theatre; sometimes they want to watch on OTT. Youngsters are more into OTT. So, again, depending on the quality, which kind of film is thriller or horror, and if it’s a big actor, people will go to the theatre; if it’s a small actor, people will prefer to see it on OTT. So, there are many permutation combinations, but I feel theatre will 100 per cent survive till we make films.”

    Speaking on the balance of focus on theatrical releases versus OTT, he said that if the company likes the stories, then it just acquires them. We sign artists, and then at that time, we understand that this will be an OTT film or a theatrical film. As a result, the fact that we release so many theatrical and non-theatrical OTT films is not a guarantee. So, for the next one or two years, we plan to release at least five films per year, with the goal of increasing to 12 films per year in three, four, or five years. “We should release at least one movie every month, whether it’s OTT, theatrical, regional, or Hindi, so that’s our target for the next three to five years,” he concluded.

  • Omicron surge: Uncertainty prevails at theatrical box office worldwide

    Omicron surge: Uncertainty prevails at theatrical box office worldwide

    Los Angeles: With the boom in box office grosses from ‘Spiderman: No Way Home’ beginning to subside and the Omicron surge taking its toll, movie theatres worldwide are facing a sobering reality that the first two months of the 2022 box office could turn out to be a gloomy dry spell.

    In the past week, according to TheWrap.com, Sony moved its next Marvel movie, the Jared Leto-led, ‘Morbius’ from late January to 1 April. Then, on Friday, Disney pulled the early-March Pixar film, ‘Turning Red’ from theaters entirely, instead of making it the third straight feature film from the animation studio to get an exclusive release on Disney+.

    That means that the US theaters will soon be lacking all three of the major ingredients for box office riches at this time of year — holiday holdovers, Oscar contenders, and major new releases — with only the prospect of Sony’s Tom Holland action film ‘Uncharted’ on 18 February and Warner Bros.’ ‘The Batman’ on 4 March is on the horizon to lure audiences in large numbers.

    Even prior to the pandemic, box office performances in January and February have been mixed. On one hand, films like ‘Hidden Figures’, ‘Bad Boys for Life’, and Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ found success with audiences in these early-year slots, combined with December releases like ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ and Oscar contenders like ‘La La Land’ to provide a solid start for the year. However, for the next four to eight weeks, the 2022 box office appears unlikely to see those levels of success play out again.

    To complicate matters, Omicron is beginning to play havoc in Hollywood as a surge in cases is causing production delays. As reported in the Los Angeles Times, despite a rebound in film and TV production in late 2021, as the Covid-19 crises began to subside, the recent emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant now threatens production output as studios push back work once again. “We’re not seeing the typical level of rebound of production,” FilmLA President Paul Audley told The Times. “We’re hearing from people who are asking to cancel or postpone their permits right now.” FilmLA is the nonprofit group that handles film permits for the Hollywood region.

    The International Box Office faces similar yet unique challenges as the new Omicron variant causes concern around the globe. The new year begins as did the previous one, with cinema closures in several markets. Europe has been particularly affected, with Netherlands and Denmark in complete lockdown and restrictions in many others. Meanwhile, a slowdown in Hollywood productions due to Omicron could eventually hit the International Box Office’s bottom line.  Although Q1 is looking soft, some studio executives are hopeful that the overseas landscape, particularly in the northern hemisphere, will settle down by spring with moviegoers ready to return in Q2 with some normalcy.

    A unique international box office wildcard, as reported by Deadline, is China. With a powerhouse 44 per cent of the 2021 worldwide box office haul, China has been more ornery to navigate than usual, notably not approving a single movie with a Marvel character in 2021, from Disney’s ‘Black Widow’ straight through to Sony’s ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and having a huge influence on the International Box Office in the process.

    In general, China appears to be putting the brakes on Hollywood. 2021 already saw fewer than 20 revenue-sharing movies allowed in, versus 30-plus in 2019. There are varying theories as to why this is happening, which include the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party, which put the focus on local so-called “propaganda” movies like the $900 million-plus grosser ‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’. There also appears to be the targeted blackballing of Marvel. Some believe it may be linked to Black Widow’s depiction of communism, while some think the slate of films was a no-go as years-old comments allegedly made by ‘Eternals’ helmer Chloé Zhao surfaced last year.

    However, notable Hollywood titles that did release in China in 2021 include ‘A Quiet Place Part II’, ‘F9’, ‘Godzilla vs Kong’, ‘Dune’, and ‘Free Guy’. China also allowed films such as ‘Jungle Cruise’ and ‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins’ which had already been out elsewhere for months. In doing so, USC professor and China expert Stanley Rosen told Deadline, “They are showing that they’re not closed off, but they are telling Hollywood, ‘We don’t really need you and we will pick and choose for whatever reasons we want to’.”

    Does it matter to China that it left potentially hundreds of millions of dollars on the table by not releasing the Marvel movies? While an oft-heard refrain is that China doesn’t care about money, it’s also said the country does care about cultural power. And, though it may be entirely capable of churning out local films that gross well over $500M at home, without Hollywood products, sources believe it will not be able to feed its ever-growing number of screens (currently 82,248 and eyed at 100K by 2025).

    Rosen stated, “They don’t need Hollywood as much as they used to, that’s very clear. But, they want to be the number one film market in the world and want to show themselves as a global power and not close off. That includes film, so they need to have Hollywood products to show that.”

    As both the Domestic and International Box Offices eye a hopeful Q2, uncertainty remains as Covid-19 (including the Omicron strain) and China appear to hold blind cards to handing 2022 a winning box office prize.

  • Omicron Surge: Cinema halls, multiplexes shut in Delhi, ‘Jersey’ release put on hold

    Omicron Surge: Cinema halls, multiplexes shut in Delhi, ‘Jersey’ release put on hold

    Mumbai: Just when the theatrical business was limping back to normal, a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases has once again put a halt to the recovery plans, with fresh restrictions across several states. On Tuesday, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) announced the closure of cinema halls and multiplexes across the national capital with immediate effect.

    The decision was taken after Delhi recorded the highest single-day spike in Covid-19 cases since 9 June. As many as 331 fresh cases and one death was reported on Tuesday, while the positivity rate mounted to 0.68 per cent.

    Soon after the announcement, the makers of actor Shahid Kapoor starrer “Jersey” issued a statement regarding their decision to postpone the release of the film to a later date. The sports drama based on the life of a middle-aged cricketer who returns to the game for the love of his child was set to be released in theatres on 31 December.

    “In view of the current circumstances and new Covid guidelines, we have decided to postpone the theatrical release of our film ‘Jersey.’ We have received immense love from you all so far and want to thank you all for everything. Until then everyone please stay safe and healthy, and wishing you all the best for the new year ahead,” said the makers in a statement.

    Apart from cinemas, and theatres, schools, colleges as well as gyms have been directed to close with immediate effect. The restrictions have also been put on the functioning of shops, and public transport as a yellow alert was sounded under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi. Under the ‘yellow’ alert restrictions, shops and establishments of non-essential goods and services and malls will open based on odd-even formula from 10 a.m to 8 p.m.

    Also, the Delhi Metro will run at 50 per cent of its seating capacity, and buses too will ply at 50 per cent of capacity with exempted category passengers. Private offices can function with up to 50 per cent of the staff. “As the Covid-19 positivity rate has been above 0.5 per cent for the past few days, we are enforcing Level-I (Yellow alert) of the Graded Response Action Plan. A detailed order on restrictions to be implemented will be released soon,” said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, adding that the decision was taken after a high-level meeting on Tuesday.

    According to the health ministry, India has logged 653 cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus across 21 states and UTs so far out of which 186 people have recovered or migrated. Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of 167 cases followed by Delhi at 165, Kerala 57, Telangana 55, Gujarat 49 and Rajasthan 46.

  • Fyp ties up with film ‘83’ to reach out to Gen Z

    Fyp ties up with film ‘83’ to reach out to Gen Z

    Mumbai: Fyp, Neobank for teenagers has announced its association with the film ‘83’ for a cross-promotional deal. The film based on the historic 1983 World Cup win released in theatres on Friday.

    The brand has launched its TVC for the association online as well as on the OTT platforms with the sole aim of introducing the Fyp to newer consumers and induce brand trials. “The association is symbolic of the breakthrough that Fyp aims to bring by raising financial literacy amongst teenagers and helping them become responsible and independent,” it said in a statement.

    “Financial literacy and money management have become an important component of life. At the same time, it is a gap left unattended in our education overall, which results in a lack of confidence in managing finances among young professionals when they first start a job and makes them prone to misguided investment decisions We wish to bridge the financial literacy gap among teenagers by giving them exposure to digital payments and through built-in features in the Fyp app,” said Fyp founder and CEO Kapil Banwari.

    Reliance Entertainment head of marketing Sameer Chopra said with this collaboration, they intend to reach out to all the young film fanatics and inspire them to never give up. “Back In 1983, the Lord’s Cricket Ground witnessed 14 men beat the twice over World Champions West Indies, putting India back onto the cricket world stage. With this association, we hope that the millennials & Gen Z’s always aspire to keep striving for glory,” he added.

    Co-founder of Anee’s Media the agency responsible for the association Deepak Patel said, “It is a bold step taken by Fyp to associate itself with ‘83.’ It will definitely create huge excitement among the teens and the parents to know more about Fyp which will help in amplifying the brand awareness.”

    The film produced by Deepika Padukone, Kabir Khan, Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Sajid Nadiadwala, Sheetal Vinod Talwar, Reliance Entertainment, and 83 Film Ltd released in theatres on 24 December in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ leaps to box office success amid Omicron concerns

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ leaps to box office success amid Omicron concerns

    Los Angeles: No one could be surprised that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ would be one of this year’s box office biggest heroes but it’s spinning its way to becoming the best December domestic opening with $253 million, the best ever for Sony and the third best-ever among all films beating 2015’s ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ domestic opening of $247.9 million.

    The film, released exclusively in theatres, is attracting enthusiastic moviegoers with record-breaking support in the US. This is big news for theaters whose continued existence seems under constant threat due to the sustained Covid-19 pandemic.

    American Multi-Cinema (AMC) announced Friday that roughly 1.1 million moviegoers attended the opening night of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ in the US, making it the highest-grossing opening night for a December title in AMC’s history. Cinemark called the film’s debut its “best opening night of all time.” And Regal said the film became its second-highest Thursday box office title in its history and shattered records for IMAX, 4DX, ScreenX, and RPX formats.

    Worldwide, the film, starring Tom Holland as Marvel’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, is crushing box office records — with this weekend’s global $587.2 million tally, it ranks as the third-biggest worldwide debut in history behind “Avengers: Endgame” (a historic $1.2 billion) and “Avengers: Infinity War” ($640 million). Notably, the top two films opened in China, which is currently the world’s biggest movie-going market, while ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ has yet to secure a release date there.

    In India, the movie continues to keep the Indian box office buzzing. In just three days, the film has managed to cross the Rs 100 crore mark beating other Bollywood films. The much-awaited superhero action film was released on 16 December across 3,264 screens in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu versions.

    “This weekend’s historic ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ results, from all over the world and in the face of many challenges, reaffirm the unmatched cultural impact that exclusive theatrical films can have when they are made and marketed with vision and resolve,” said Sony’s Motion Picture Group chairman and CEO Tom Rothman as reported in Variety. “All of us at Sony Pictures, are deeply grateful to the fabulous talent, both in front of and behind the camera, that produced such a landmark film. Thanks to their brilliant work, this Christmas everyone can enjoy the big screen gift of 2021’s mightiest Super Hero — your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”

    Credit should also be given to Marvel itself for amping up the prestige of this sequel and fueling fans’ anticipation for months. Directed by Jon Watts, the third chapter in Holland’s trilogy takes place after Peter Parker’s identity is revealed to the world, upending the lives of his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), and his aunt May (Marisa Tomei).

    Critics have embraced ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, describing the film as a “satisfying meta-adventure.” Audiences have been equally receptive; the movie secured an “A+” CinemaScore and a 99 per cent Rotten Tomatoes average.

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ delivered a particularly strong turnout in western Europe, led by the United Kingdom. In the UK, ticket sales reached $41.4 million during its extended five-day opening to notch the fourth-biggest debut ever in that market. The film opened in France with $17.8 million, Italy with $13 million, Germany with $11.4 million, and Spain with $10.4 million. In eastern Europe, Russia led with $17.4 million, followed by Ukraine ($2.4 million) and Turkey ($1.4 million).

    Latin American countries webbed up $79.5 million in total, with Mexico’s five-day tally hitting $32.4 million, the country’s highest of all time. Argentina also recorded its best box office debut with $6.8 million, as did Ecuador with $3.7 million.

    In Asia, the movie notched the largest tally in South Korea ($23.7 million), followed by Hong Kong ($6.3 million). Other notable markets include Saudi Arabia ($5.2 million), Israel ($2.7 million), and New Zealand ($2.3 million).

  • Glimmers of hope for box office recovery

    Glimmers of hope for box office recovery

    Los Angeles: The global box office is accelerating. Revenues in 2021 could hit 21.6 billion, according to a revised forecast from the research firm Gower Street Analytics. The estimate has been revised from a previous estimate of $20.2 billion with a potential additional upside that could see the current year finish closer to $22 billion globally.

    “The $1.4 billion gain to the global prediction since our previous estimate, which was based on eight months of actuals and estimates for the final four months of the year, is primarily due to the blockbuster boost brought about by October,” said the firm.

    The reason for the shift is driven primarily by the strong performance of October titles including China’s ‘The Battle at Lake Changjin’ ($845 million through the past Sunday), MGM/Eon/Universal’s “No Time To Die” ($605.7 million) and Sony’s “Venom: Let there Be Carnage” ($395.8M). Warner Bros/Legendary’s “Dune” is also coming out of a strong, expanded release frame with a global total of $296.4 million.

    The $21.6 billion estimates would put 2021, 80 per cent ahead of 2020, but still 49 per cent behind 2019’s record global tally. This is the final estimate the firm plans to publish for 2021 before actuals are announced in early January.

    According to Gower Street, the market share of global box office represented by North America (aka the domestic US) held relatively unchanged, down from 21.8 per cent to 21.6 per cent. Likewise, Latin America held steady, down from 4.9 per cent to 4.6 per cent. These markets are expected to remain relatively unchanged between 2020 and 2021. The Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) dropped from 23.1% to 21.6 per cent.

    In contrast, the Asian-Pacific (APAC) market is expected to expand its share from just over 50 per cent in 2020 to 52.2 per cent in 2021. However, the APAC gain is entirely due to China, which has made its own further encroachment within the APAC region, with a reduced market share of the worldwide box office in the region’s other key markets: Japan, South Korea, and Australia. China is expected to represent nearly 34 per cent of the global box office in 2021, compared to just over 28 per cent in 2020. Japan, meanwhile, sees its market share halve from 12.2 per cent to just six per cent. Korea drops from 4.1 per cent to 2.4 per cent, and Australia from 2.7 per cent to 2.1 per cent.

    Hollywood, in general, is still feeling the fallout from the pandemic. Despite US theatres being mostly back in full operations, there has been hesitation on the part of audiences to return to filling seats to full capacity. However, Hollywood studios and theatre owners are beginning to entice a return to the big screen with persuasive marketing campaigns and exclusive in-theatre movie releases.

    Likewise, the Indian Box Office took a hard hit due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bollywood had a banner year in 2019 and heading into 2020, according to Statista, the box office revenue for the Indian film industry was valued at about Rs 139 billion. This figure was estimated to drop to only Rs 30 billion a year later due to the pandemic impact. However, hope remains high as theatres begin to reopen. Movie theatres in the entertainment capital of Mumbai reopened on 22 October after 18 months of closure due to Covid-19.

    Overall, the global estimate for October has risen nearly 30 per cent from an original estimate of $2.5 billion to $3.2 billion. This would put October business just 4 per cent behind the average of the three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019) for the month. No previous month in 2021 has performed better than 40 per cent behind the three-year average.

    “The Battle at Lake Changjin” tops the 2021 worldwide box office chart with more than $845 million in ticket sales to date. China’s blockbuster “Hi, Mom” which was released in February, follows at number two with $822 million. Universal carries the number three spot with “F9: The Fast Saga” with $721.1 million. China’s “Detective Chinatown 3” is number four worldwide ($686.3 million).

  • Cinema is not going to be an easy sell: Inox’s Anand Vishal on advertisers returning

    Cinema is not going to be an easy sell: Inox’s Anand Vishal on advertisers returning

    Mumbai: After nearly 18 months of strict lockdowns and intermittent breathers, the opening of theatres in Maharashtra signals the much-awaited revival of the industry that was hit hardest among all entertainment media. With an estimated 146 million people returning to the theatres, advertiser interest in the medium is also witnessing healthy revival, albeit slowly.

    For the next three months starting Diwali, an impressive line-up of movies including ‘Sooryavanshi’, ‘Bunty aur Babli 2’, ‘Satyamev Jayate 2’, ‘83 The Film’, ‘Jersey’, ‘Tadap’, ‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’, ‘No Means No’, ‘Annaatthe’, ‘777 Charlie’, ‘Pushpa : The Rise’, ‘Antim: The Final Truth’ and ‘Bhavai’ awaits the audiences in 2021 alone.

    Inox Leisure Ltd chief sales and revenue officer Anand Vishal tells us that the continuous flow of content from Diwali will ensure the return of advertisers to the cinema, however, it could take anywhere between three to six months for the volumes and rates to reach pre-covid levels.

    In-cinema advertising contributes around 11-12 per cent to the overall revenue pie for Inox. Vishal is expecting a 25-30 per cent drop in rates from what he was operating at earlier. As regards volumes, in a typical week like ‘Sooryavanshi’, there used to be nearly 100-125 advertisers on board, nationally. He anticipates 75-80 per cent of them to return for the big Diwali release on 5 November.

    Even as the situation plays out, Vishal says that numbers are not his primary concern at present. The focus is on bringing advertisers who have been away from the medium due to the lack of either content or a proper timing of the release, back to it.

    “The strength of Cinema as an advertising medium is that it offers a large and relevant audience for brands across categories. Unlike TV where there is a lot of refraction or variance happening, the definite and premium price-points at which we operate are what get brands interested in us. It’s just a matter of time until advertisers taste the success of this medium once again. In the meanwhile, though, Cinema is not going to be an easy sell,” he avers.

    Given the uncertainty that prevails around the number of footfalls in theatres, brands, even though enthusiastic about the reopening, are treading with caution. While all sorts of pricing negotiations continue to happen, Vishal informs that Inox is encouraging marketers to opt for the CPC or Cost Per Contact model wherein the advertiser pays for the number of admits at a fixed rate per person.

    “The numbers of the audience may have gone done, but the quality hasn’t, and therefore we believe this model is best suited and fair for both parties. The approach is working well with the premium, regular clients who are well-acquainted with the medium, but a lot of small and medium budget clients do not understand this model, and that’s where rate negotiations come into the picture. That being said, we are carefully judging where we need to stop. In the process of making informed decisions, we might have to let people go, but we are definitely not selling ourselves short,” he asserts.

    Among the brands that are proactively returning are the likes of Manyavar, Siyaram’s, Allen Solly, Lux, and OnePlus that share a long association with Cinemas, being present on all screens throughout the year. Others that advertise five-six times in a year are the ones that the multiplex brand is making an effort to reach out to for the volumes.

    For ‘No Time to Die’ Inox roped in two new luxury clients, namely, Tata CLiQ and NDC (Natural Diamond Council). The rise of new-age, online/tech advertisers that was fuelled by the pandemic has been media agnostic. Vishal shares that he is “looking forward to a good 15-20 per cent advertisers from this space, which includes e-commerce, edtech, and cryptocurrency brands, pushing revenues for Inox”. 

  • Cinema halls, drama theatres to reopen in Maharashtra from 22 Oct

    Cinema halls, drama theatres to reopen in Maharashtra from 22 Oct

    Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced that cinema halls and drama theatres in the state will be allowed to operate starting from 22 October. Theatres will have to adhere to the norms set by the government to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

    The state government is going to issue a standard operating procedure for theatre owners soon.

    Thackeray convened a meeting of Covid-19 task force attended by Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and filmmakers Rohit Shetty and Kunal Kapoor. Theatre personality Makarand Deshpande and Marathi actors Subodh Bhave, Aadesh Bandekar among others were also present.

    Theatre owners and associations such as the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) have been actively campaigning, urging the Maharashtra government to relax restrictions on theatres. According to the association, Maharashtra cinema exhibition industry was staring at a monthly loss of Rs 400 crore and were suffering mounting losses with the prolonged shutdown of theatres. Theatres have been shut since mid-March 2020. Restrictions were relaxed briefly in the months of October and November only to be tightened once again with the onset of the second wave.

    Meanwhile, Karnataka has also announced its decision to operate cinema halls and auditoriums at full capacity from 1 October, months after being run at half capacity due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government guidelines mandate a minimum of one dose of vaccine along with other social distancing norms.

    Maharashtra recorded 3,286 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, out of which 446 were from Mumbai. As many as 51 people lost their lives to the disease in the last 24 hours. The total number of total active cases in the state stand at 38, 491, at the time of filing this report.