MUMBAI: The Aamir Khan-Kajol starrer Fanaa is noe being screened in most multiplexes after a compromise was reached between Yash Raj Films and the Multiplex Owners Association.
Trouble erupted in paradise when Yash Chopra asked for a larger share from the exhibitors of multiplex cinemas stating that their product was highly priced and hence they should get a share of 55 per cent of ticket sales as compared to the mandatory 48 per cent in the first week.
As a result of this, multiplex owners refused to budge and asked Chopra not to screen his film in their multiplexes.It is a fact that the top 50 biggies of Hindi cinema have a collection ranging from 30-35 per cent from the 70 odd multiplexes in the country and the rest is collected from the 11,000 odd single screen theatres.
In the meantime, news spread that the ticket prices of Fanaa had been pushed to Rs 225 to ensure that the film releases in the multiplexes following a statement by one of the exhibitors. Yash Raj Films had a hurried press conference through director Kunal Kohli stating that the film will not release in multiplexes.
Even as the Multiplex Owners Association was putting up a strong stand, one of them – Cinemax – winked. And the film was to then release in three multiplexes. The others too budged and a middle of the road compromise has been achieved.
No one is talking about how much the sharing is, as UTV CEO Ronnie Screwala and producer-director Rakesh Roshan had also demanded a similar higher share of their films Chup Chupke and Krrish respectively like Chopra.
Multiplex owners are now upset as it dawned upon them that they will soon fall into blackmail tactics by many such top producers.
The film did not release in multiplexes belonging to Inox and Fun Cinemas.
