MUMBAI: In a chain reaction of sorts, the Telugu film industry has now joined hands with the Hindi film Producers’ Guild and will refrain from releasing movies in multiplexes in Andhra Pradesh with effect from 20 March.
While Hindi films will not be released across multiplexes from 4 April onwards across India, in Andhra Pradesh the boycott will be with effect from 20 March for both Telugu and Hindi films.
Speaking to Businessofcinema.com on the development, Telugu Film Distributor Association president Sunil Narang says, “We have been in negotiation with multiplexes since 40 days as we want 60 per cent share for our movies in the first week. However, except for Prasad Cinemas, the others do not respond to us properly. Hence we have decided not to release any movies in the multiplexes from 20 March itself and also pull the movies currently playing in multiplexes.”
Until now the Telugu film revenue share between distributor and multiplexes was 50:50, 42.50:57.50 and 37.50:62.50 for the first three weeks respectively. But as of now, the distributors are insisting on 60:40, 55:45 and 50:50 respectively.
The association is of the opinion that since there is a restriction on the number of cinemas in which a Telugu movie releases, the number of shows each movie gets and also the ticket pricing is not more than Rs 100. These factors help in controlled release of the film, which brings in more audience for a very long period of time, hence they want to have a larger share in the profits of their film.
Apart from this Narang points out, “We distributors do not receive our share even 30-45 days after our movie’s release.”
Multiplex companies such as PVR, Inox, Cinemax, Adlabs, Talkie Townie and Prasad Cinemas currently operate approximately 20 screens in Andhra, as opposed to more than 3500 single screens in the state. The association will continue to release Telugu movies in single screens.
A national multiplex chain official told Businessofcinema.com that they would be holding a meeting with the Telugu Film Distributor Association next week to discuss the matter.
Some of the Hindi films that will not see a release in Andhra Pradesh from 20 March onwards are Aloo Chaat, Barah Aana, Firaaq, Straight, Aa Dekhen Zara, Ek – The Power of One, Sikandar, Videsh – Heaven on Earth and 8×10 Tasveer.
