A few observations…
Fasten your seat belts! An exciting phase is about to begin, starting with BLACK & WHITE this Friday, followed by RACE, U ME AUR HUM, KRAZZY 4… The flow of films continues non-stop till December this year. As per rough estimates, Rs. 125 crores are riding on films scheduled for release in March and April and I expect the tide to change for better in these two months.
Of course, May, June and August should be lucrative as well, business-wise. Expect a windfall!
All theories, all prophecies, all calculations have proved incorrect. No one expected JODHAA AKBAR to work big time in Overseas. The Overseas junta is just not interested in historicals, many prominent U.K. and U.S.-based distributors told me prior to its release. But looking at the speed at which JODHAA AKBAR is galloping in U.K., U.S.A., Australia, Middle East and other international markets, it has only infused a lot of faith in qualitative cinema.
A good film works. Period.
Where are the prices heading? The actors are charging Rs. 15-20-25 crores, now the directors' paycheck is likely to touch Rs. 5-6-8 crores per film? Are the prices justified? Well, as long as the person shelling out the money has no issue, who are we to complain?
My only concern is, at the rate the prices are zooming upwards, will the producers/investors be able to recover their investment? At the moment, there're three major players in the market [UTV, Eros, Studio 18]. But how many films will they eventually acquire? Think about it!
Happened to watch Subhash Ghai's new outing BLACK & WHITE last Friday at a very, very select screening of Ghai's friends. Must say, Ghai has the courage to swim against the tide. He could've made a comic caper, he could've cast any actor he desired, he could've hired the best of technicians. But he chose to work with a new face [Anurag Sinha] and a new technical crew.
I am amazed at the confidence levels of Anurag. This guy has the potential to rock big time. Watch out!
