Big films clashing in next six months: Is this bad for business?

Traditionally, it’s the end of the year that sees big releases queuing up at the box office. The beginning of the year, on the other hand, is comparatively a quieter time in Bollywood. Except, the calendar for 2015 is starting to look very different.

Traditionally, it’s the end of the year that sees big releases queuing up at the box office. The beginning of the year, on the other hand, is comparatively a quieter time in Bollywood. Except, the calendar for 2015 is starting to look very different.

It’s getting crowded

Sheer coincidence has seen a bunch of big releases — originally slated for end-2014 — move to early next year. The Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma-starrer, Bombay Velvet, was slated to release on November 28, but with a significant amount of VFX work pending, it will apparently release in May, 2015. Similarly, the John Abraham-starrer Welcome Back was set to release alongside Aamir Khan’s PK on December 19; but with portions yet to be shot, it has a new date of January 23. Again, Arjun Kapoor-Sonakshi Sinha-starrer Tevar has moved from December 5 to January 9.

The list doesn’t end there. Saif Ali Khan-Katrina Kaif starrer Phantom, Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, and Ranbir-Arjun Rampal-starrer Roy have also been pushed to next year. Phantom’s director Kabir Khan says, “The release date got pushed as dates are decided by studios nowadays, so, I don’t take the final call.”

Bad for business?

The combined budget for the big films, according to trade estimates, is already around `600-`700 cr (for the first six months). “Big clashes eat into almost 25per cent of the business for each release,” says exhibitor-distributor Akshaye Rathi. Trade analyst Amod Mehra adds, “The first six months are avoided due to several reasons — IPL (the Indian Premier League takes place around April-June) and school examinations, among others. If big films are still releasing, it shows their desperation.”