MUMBAI: Call it coincidence or strategic timing, as soon as the IPL concluded last week, talks between Hindi film producers, distributors and national multiplex chains have gained momentum over the last three days.
The core committee of the United Producers & Distributors Forum (UPDF) has been having talks with multiplex officials along with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. While on 27 May, they met with Reliance BIG Entertainment chairman Amit Khanna to sort out issues; today a meeting was held between Khanna and representatives of other multiplex chains like Shravan Shroff (Fame India), Rashesh Kanakia (Cinemax India) and Atul Goel (Fun Cinemas) amongst others.
Sources inform Businessofcinema.com, that after speaking to SRK, Aamir and other producers, Khanna is pitching revenue sharing terms for Hindi films at 52:48 (producers:multiplexes) and 45:55 for the first and second week to multiplexes. While multiplexes, which had come up with terms of 50:50 and 42.5:57.5, are not in agreement with the former as of now. At the time of filing this story, the above said meeting was still underway.
Speaking to Businessofcinema.com, spokesperson of the UPDF and producer Mukesh Bhatt said, "As of now, there has been no decision but we are likely to reach a solution in a couple of days."
On the other hand, the meeting that was attended by the two reigning Khans also saw participation from Yash Chopra, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ronnie Screwvala (UTV), Mahesh Bhatt, Sandeep Bhargava (Studio 18) and Sunil Lulla (Eros International) amongst others.
As talks heat up, a solution doesn’t look too far away now as both parties are eager to resolve the issue at the earliest.
