Screen-space poser for films

Reducing number of halls and too many movies waiting to get released have resulted in an interesting BO phenomenon in Bengal.
With a spate of Bengali movies running for at least 25 days, if not more, there is an acute shortage of screening space of movies that are ready for release. As a result, exhibitors are being forced to push the release dates of as many as four Bengali movies from end 2011 to early 2012.
While ���������Baishey Srabon��������� is still running to packed houses, there is little chance of the movie being removed from theatres this year. ���������The quantity of Bengali movies waiting to release during the end of 2011 is substantially bigger than what it was earlier. With more and more Bengali movies doing well this year, it���������s difficult for me to pull them off theatres. I can���������t do injustice to any new release by giving it bad show timings. The result is that ���������Nondinee���������, ���������Ghentey Ghaw: Ektu Onnyorokom���������, Bedroom���������, ���������Bhooter Bhobishyot���������, ���������Flop-e���������, ���������Nobel Chor���������, ���������Bhoomi���������, ���������Ami Vs Tumi���������, ���������Bhorer Pakhi��������� and ���������Laptop��������� have to shift their release dates to next year. There is also a pressure of big budget Hindi movies such as ���������RA.One���������, ���������Desi Boyz���������, ���������Rockstar���������, ���������The Dirty Picture��������� and ���������Don 2���������. The Bengali movies that have managed to get confirmed release dates are ���������Romeo��������� (November 4), ���������Jaani Dyekha Hawbe��������� (November 25), ���������Royal Bengal Rohosyo��������� (December 16) and ���������Katakuti��������� (December 2). I���������m not sure if I can run ���������Romeo��������� on November 4 because I don���������t know how ���������RA.One��������� will be faring then. We had had talks on releasing ���������Gosaibaganer Bhoot���������, on December 9 but with Feluda coming a week later, I don���������t think I���������ll be able to do that either,��������� says exhibitor Arijit Dutta, who owns Priya, Star and Bioscope.
Meanwhile, ���������Khokababu��������� is releasing on January 6 and ���������Aparajita Tumi��������� will also see a Jan release. Says director Sujan Mukhopadhyay, ���������My movie, ���������Ghente Ghaw���������, was ready since September. But the release date kept getting pushed. I had my music release. Standees have been on display and the promos uploaded on Youtube. This postponement is a major jerk to our promotional exercise. For makers doing films with fresh thought, it���������s important to have an alternative single screen theatre apart from Priya where we can get a decent crowd. If some films that release at Menoka turn into big hits, it will be beneficial for the new-age Bengali movies.���������
Says Anik Dutta, director, ���������Bhooter Bhobishyot���������, ���������It was supposed to release before Pujas. Srijit told me that since the audience for his and my film are similar, we should adjust the dates. Now, I���������m not sure when we ���������BB��������� will release. With so many queries about my film���������s release date, I���������ve decided to print a T-shirt saying ���������I don���������t know when my movie is releasing!���������.���������
Nitish Roy, the director of ���������GB���������, says, ���������I had heard that it will release in December. That���������s a call the producer has to take with the director and the exhibitor.��������� Says Subrata Sen, director, ���������Nondinee���������, ���������Apart from Arijit���������s theatres, there are two chains in Tollywood (Minar, Bijoli, Chabighar chain and Indira, Prachi, Mitra chain). If Ujjala, Purna and Bharati were open, we wouldn���������t have had this situation. The number of movies has increased. Multiplexes have too many big Hindi movie releases lined up. The number of halls screening Bengali movies in districts has gone down. I can���������t think of releasing my movie before next year.���������