Single-screens get a 2nd innings

MUMBAI: The number of single-screen theatres may have come down in Mumbai and Thane over the last three years, but there is a quiet transformation happening.
Buoyed by the revenue earnings—single-screen theatres still contribute between 30-50% of collections in the city—several owners are renovating these theatres to bring back crowds from the multiplexes.
The number of single-screen theatres in Maharashtra has come down from 864 to 722—and in Mumbai and Thane from 100 to 81—but the renewed hope springs from the healthy collections, say distributors and these theatres owners. Film trade pundits point out that a film like Zindagi Na Mile Dobara grossed 25% cent of its boxoffice from single screens, Murder 2 raked in 40%, and Ready and Bodyguard 45% each.
Digitalization of prints is helping save on overheads for single-screen theatres. Trade analyst Amod Mehra said, “Quite a few of them are installing 2k projectors for digital prints which most of them are buying on instalments. They thus have begun saving on maintenance of print projectors and labour costs. The government has also increased their maintenance amount slightly, which is a good sign. But most importantly, the real reason for single-screens coming out of the red is that a growing number of films targeted at the masses have brought back the audiences.
A film can aim to become a blockbuster only because of single screens.” Distributor-exhibitor Ramesh Sippy echoed the view, “Today one cannot ignore the single screens as they make a major contribution to a film’s box office collection.”
Paradise cinema at Mahim and Dreamland at Grant Road were upgraded by ESquare cinemas some time back. Bahar Cinema at Andheri east has reopened after more than a decade.
Some of the others that have made a comeback or are planning one are Sahakar Cinema at Chembur, Chitra in Dadar, Premiere (Parel), Premiere (Dongri), Citylight (Matunga), Nakshatra (Dadar), Chandan (Juhu) Movie Gem (Dahisar), Starcity (Matunga) and Roxy (Opera House) to name a few.
Nilufer Dastur, owner of Paradise, said, “My cinema continues to be a single-screen matching multiplex standards. We renovated our cinema during the release of Fashion and Golmaal Returns, as the patrons wanted better air-conditioning and a more upmarket atmosphere, but at an affordable price.”
Dastur also claims that legroom between rows in Paradise is better than in any multiplex. “We now have a nice mix of the audience. We have seen the multiplex audiences returning to balconies while lovers of single screens continue to throng our stalls. Paradise is now a cinema hall for family viewing.’’
However, film writer Dilip Thakur, who still watches films at Jaya and Diamond cinema in Borivli, doesn’t agree. “These cinemas have remained the same, one can’t take one’s family to such theatres. My wife and daughter prefer to go to a multiplex.’’
Single-screen cinemas have regained their ‘tapori’ crowd in the last couple of years. Films like Dabanng, Ready and The Dirty Picture were paisa vasool for them. Qasim Baig, manager of Chandan Cinema, said, “The audiences in our cinema hall, especially in the stalls, do sing and dance during the songs. Just recently, during the screening of The Dirty Picture, the audiences danced in the aisles and some even climbed onto the screen. Our guards had to pull them down. Paisa bhi phekte hain gaane par ...’’
Distributor-exhibitor Nitin Datar does not agree with the trade analysts. “Of the 200-odd films that release every year, only 5 to 6 become blockbusters, he said. “That is not enough for us. Unlike multiplexes which get to share 50% of the revenue, single screens only get theatre rentals, which is a very small amount and cannot even take care of our electricity bills.’’
Although exhibitors do smile a little when they hear of producers making more products suited for single screens, they are more interested in the government paying attention to their needs and demands.
Some cinemas like Dreamland at Girgaum and Bahar at Vile Parle have been upgraded, but their seating capacity has been reduced. Hemant Panchamia of ESquare Leisure said, “We have recently renovated Victory cinema which is a heritage structure in Pune and Dreamland cinema apart from Paradise but have reduced the seating by 40%. It is going to be impossible to maintain a cinema with 1,200 seats.”
Panchamia has been approached by many single-screen operators. He said, “It is important to have a joint venture between owners and operators. Only then will it work in the favour of single-screen operators. There are so many operators who have attempted it, but owners are not interested. This has led to many theatres shutting down.’’
Single-screen theatres had shut down for a week demanding reduction in entertainment taxes. Datar said, “Multiplexes get concessions, whereas single screen owners have been paying entertainment tax since 1923 but haven’t got any relief till date. We pay as high as 45%, while it is much less in other states. We want the government to help us save single screen theatres."