It's a big war happening out there over a film that one thought is too simplistic for words. The war is definitely not simple, with
Sooraj Barjatya's Rajshri Productions asking the theatres to lower their ticket prices of their upcoming film 'Uunchai' which releases on November 11. It maybe recalled that
Subhash Ghai and quite a few other filmmakers as well in the recent past has been very vocal that the plexes should bring down the ticket rates, which often hover around Rs 300-500.
'Uunchai' is being distributed by
Yash Raj Films (YRF), which perhaps has made the war get into more number of knots. When contacted, trade analyst Amod Mehra said, "The plexes are telling
YRF that would it be okay with them if they bring down the prices of their upcoming film 'Pathaan'."
Therefore, it's a semi-stalemate stage at the moment- some plexes having bowed down, some having not.
PVR at least is apparently refusing to relent. A source from PVR confirms, "We have brought it to down to our lower bracket, but done nothing drastically." SEE THE ANUPAM KHER-BOMAN UUNCHAI INTERVIEW BELOW:
What happens if the prices are not brought down to Rajshri Productions' desired levels? "Simple. Sooraj won't release it in screens where he thinks that the price is unaffordable. Rajshri Productions is fine if 'Uunchai' gets even 390-400 screens all over India," reveals another source.
Says another trade analyst Taran Adarsh, "It is good that Rajshri Productions has asked to bring down the ticket prices and make 'Uunchai' affordable to more people. This production house follows a certain policy."
ETimes also has it there will be no show of 'Uunchai' in most theatres at least before 12 noon, or say 11.30 am. Rajshri Productions has also made it clear to the exhibitors that they do not want more than 4 shows in most outlets.
Manoj Desai, Executive Director of Gaiety-Galaxy, says, "Frankly, I don't think that bringing down the prices for one film solves the bigger issue at least that we are facing of people not coming to the theatres. It may have some impact of confusion, in fact. At least, I have never kept the rates unaffordable. All these plexes need to do is to sit down and form a uniform structure, so that there is clarity. The prices have been pushed up and down indiscriminately on different days of the week, even before 'Uunchai', isn't it?"
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