It looks as if the five-week Hindi film drought will finally get over.
After talks between multiplexes and producers failed on Tuesday, the latter now plan to release their films in single-screen theatres after two weeks.
On Tuesday, the multiplex owners’ association and United Producers-Distributors Forum met at Yash Raj Films Studio to resolve the two-month stand-off over revenue-sharing — the forum seek a 50-50 share — but the talks set the imbroglio back to square one.
In January, multiplex owners had agreed to share 50 per cent revenue with the producer in the first week, 40 per cent in the second week and 30 per cent in the subsequent weeks.
In April, the producers went on a strike and refused to release films in multiplexes.
According to a source in the industry, on condition of anonymity, the multiplex owners behaved in a “high-handed manner” and said they could not share revenue with the producer till his film is screened at their properties.
“Just a day before, they were talking of sharing 50 per cent revenue in the first week, 45 in the second, 40 in the third, 35 in the fourth and 30 in the subsequent weeks. This volte face came as a complete surprise,” said the source.
{{/usCountry}}“Just a day before, they were talking of sharing 50 per cent revenue in the first week, 45 in the second, 40 in the third, 35 in the fourth and 30 in the subsequent weeks. This volte face came as a complete surprise,” said the source.
{{/usCountry}}The talks have stalled, said Mukesh Bhatt, official spokesperson for the United Producers-Distributors Forum.
“The multiplexes have come back with the same percentages they had proposed in January, with absolutely no change,” he said. “If that was a feasible percentage then why would we have put all releases on hold all this while and deprived the audience of movies?”
He added that despite the deadlock, producers would release films at single-screen theatres after two weeks.
Bhatt said: “We are looking releasing films at single-screens and independent non-national multiplexes.”
Added Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO, UTV Motion Pictures: “Since there is no resolution on the national chain of multiplex issue, UTV will start releasing its big and small movies in single-screen theaters and non-national chain multiplexes nationwide from July.”
(With inputs from Serena Menon)