The year 2020 been utterly disastrous. This is for not only the common man but all the industries small and big that have been affected by the virus.
Since we are into films, we shall talk about on the same. Today our topic is film distribution and how film distributors particularly the ones dealing with Hindi films are facing the heat and are in a spot.
The Hindi film distribution has six major circuits namely the Bombay circuit, the eastern circuit, the Delhi-UP circuit, the C.P.-C.I. Rajasthan circuit, the Punjab circuit and the South circuit.
Ever since the outbreak of the Coronavirus and the follow up of the Lockdown from March 23, the film industry has come to a virtual standstill with no shooting of films, no cinema halls or multiplexes (exhibitors) to screen films. Naturally distributors have been severely affected.
Says Chandresh Sharma of Bhagyashree Films, “We, the distributors based in Mumbai are the worst hit. Where on one side shooting of films have come to a standstill, on the other side dist there are no good releases to hit the screen that are themselves closed. I only ask as to how shall we sustain ourselves in the current circumstances.”
So hard has the pandemic struck that we hear that a distributor has taken to the selling of vegetables like a lot many people who have been waylaid.
Avers Sameer Dixit of Pickle Entertainment,” The situation today is worse than expected. Since the opening of theatres has yet not been fixed, producers aren’t able to fix their release dates. Besides single-screen theatres are in no mood to open up because as it is they have suffered a huge loss because of the lockdown. Moreover, after the government declaring that film theatres should open to their 50 per cent capacity, they are more than dissatisfied. Plus they have to bear added expenses like sanitising the hall after every screening, dispense sanitising liquid to the audience coming in to see a film. Plus any casualty happening when a show is in progress has to be borne by the hall owners.” Moreover, no significant film is due to release immediately. Rohit Shetty’s Shooryavanshi and Salman Khan’s Radhe will only release next year in January, the earliest is Akshay Kumar’s Laxmi Bomb that is to release on 9th November. In between, there are no good films worth the mention that is slated to open. If my calculation is right, we have to do with films like Angrezi Medium, Baghi among others.”
Among all this hotchpotch, two developments have transformed the landscape of film of Hindi films in particular. The first is the emergence of TVoD (transactional video-on-demand) platforms such as Google Play, iTunes, Vimeo and India’s TVF In Box Office, While the first is the emergence of TVoD (transactional video-on-demand) platforms such as Google Play, iTunes, Vimeo and India’s TVF InBox Office that enable filmmakers to sell their films directly to audiences, the second is the entry of the global SVoD (subscription video-on-demand) giants. Netflix, which launched in India in January and Amazon Prime Video.
Coming to Amazon Prime Video, it is to globally premiere 9 highly-anticipated movies across 5 Indian languages directly on its service. Following the success of past premieres, the new slate comprises of nine exciting titles spanning 5 Indian languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
The films are: Halal Love Story (Malayalam)- 15th Oct, Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja (Kannada), 29th Oct, Soorarai Pottru (Tamil)- 30th Oct, Chhalaang (Hindi)- 13th Nov, Manne Number 13 (Kannada)- 19th Nov, Middle Class Melodies (Telugu)- 20th Nov, Durgavati (Hindi)- 11th Dec (Bhumi Pednekar), Maara (Tamil)-17th Dec (R Madhavan) and Coolie No. 1 (Hindi) directed by David Dhawan- 25th December. The films will premiere exclusively on Prime Video and will be available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Adds Dilip Dhanwani of Royal Film Company,“Let me say that a film’s box office performance does not worry me. I accept medium budget movies, may they be Hindi, Bhojpuri or any other regional ones. I release these movies on a commission basis.”
All in all, the pandemic has taken everyone in its loop with one not knowing what to do? If there is any solution, what is it?
