The film industry is in a state of shock. It was raining hits till last week. The industry was shining after a spate of successes. The mood was upbeat. But the tide changed overnight. On Friday, the occupancy at cineplexes fell sharply. It sent shock waves across the length and breadth of the industry as the morning shows of at least three new films were called off, at several stations, due to zero audience. Imagine, no one turned up to watch those films. Where did the audience suddenly disappear?
What I don't understand is the tearing hurry on the producers/Studios' part to release multiple films in one week. Seven Hindi films [AIYYAA, BHOOT RETURNS, CHITTAGONG, MAKKHI, PREM MAYEE, IN THE NAME OF TAI, LOGIN] and two English ones in a single week... Isn't it suicidal? Aren't we committing professional harakiri by releasing so many films at one go? Where are the cineplexes to accommodate them? Most importantly, is the aam aadmi interested in watching sooooo many films in a single week?
The holdover titles [BARFI!, OMG and ENGLISH VINGLISH] are very much around, attracting a good chunk of the movie-going audience even after weeks of release. Ironically, the new releases have made zilch dent in their business, which only goes to prove that their grip remains super-strong to this day. All the more reason for the producers of new films to introspect if their decision was right or wrong.
The dismal performance of AIYYAA clearly indicates that hit songs cannot ensure an opening at the BO anymore. The lukewarm performance of BHOOT RETURNS clearly indicates that Horror + 3D, which worked big time in RAAZ 3, is no foolproof formula either. The dull performance of MAKKHI clearly indicates that the dubbed version of a Blockbuster Hit may not meet the same fate. I reiterate, Boxoffice can be most unpredictable and the rules of the game change every Friday.
