BackBollywood rides on non-festival successes in 2019
Higher collections in 2019 than in 2018 prove that people still come to theatres despite the convenience of video streaming platformsThis year, it seems Bollywood will bank on merit rather than holidays. Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan, Sooryavanshi, Roohi Afzana, Gulabo Sitabo, among others, are scheduled to release over regular weekends
PremiumNew Delhi: At Rs. 276.34 crore, romantic drama Kabir Singh is the second highest Bollywood grosser of 2019. Notching up much higher numbers than several big-ticket films that released around festivals or extended weekends like Bharat on Eid (Rs. 197.34 crore), Dabangg 3 on Christmas (Rs. 134.79 crore), and Housefull 4 on Diwali (Rs. 205 crore), the Shahid Kapoor-starrer proves that the festival charm does not work anymore as it did three-to-four years ago. It also shows that audiences watch films irrespective of holidays. Of course, the reverse is also true. Big-ticket films that are not backed by strong content can only go far with the hype around their release during a festival or holidays.
Like Kabir Singh, the third highest grosser of the year Uri - The Surgical Strike (Rs. 244 crore) was also a non-festive release, as were hits like Good Newwz (Rs. 195.78 crore), Total Dhamaal (Rs. 150.07 crore), Luka Chuppi (Rs. 88.50 crore), Avengers: Endgame (Rs. 373.22 crore) and Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior (Rs. 244.87 crore) this January. However, films such as Bharat, Dabangg 3 and Republic Day releases this year--Street Dancer 3D (Rs. 61.25 crore) and Panga (Rs. 20.35 crore)--have clearly underperformed.
“This is a sign of changing times. You may get an advantage of one day because of an extended weekend, but thereafter, it all depends on the content which if not up to the mark, will not boost the film’s prospects," said Atul Mohan, editor of trade magazine Complete Cinema.
Festival releases like Thugs of Hindostan and Race 3 started with massive opening day figures in the past, of Rs. 48.27 crore and Rs. 27.69 crore, respectively. Thereafter, both faltered to lifetime collections of Rs. 138.34 crore and Rs. 166.15 crore, as negative word-of-mouth spread.
“There is only so much you can reap from a big first day. On the other day, a film like Uri didn’t start big but picked up afterwards," trade analyst Taran Adarsh said. “If Bollywood’s festive weekends have lost their charm, it is because of the content of the films," Adarsh added.
Bollywood’s collections in 2019 are nearly 20% higher than in 2018. This proves that people go to theatres despite the pull and convenience of video streaming platforms. But industry experts say audiences are no longer content with mediocre fare, even with commercial entertainers. Audiences want a story that is well-crafted and backed by a campaign that is well-focused and targeted.
Also, apart from the big traditional festivals, there are several smaller windows opening up such as Valentine’s Day or Good Friday, where a well-timed release can benefit. Trade website Box Office India said January has emerged as a lucrative period for film business, particularly in the last two years. Earlier, there was a tendency to avoid major releases between Christmas and Republic Day because of the cold weather in north India but the perception has changed with the success of films like Simmba and Uri last year and Good Newwz and Tanhaji this year. The month throws up occasions like Makar Sankrati, Lohri, Onam and Pongal that serve as partial holidays.
“Some of it also has to do with the genre of the film not going with the mood of the festival. Like Salman Khan’s Tubelight was clearly not an Eid kind of a film," said film trade and exhibition expert Girish Johar. Further, a lot of filmmakers hike ticket rates to cash in on the festival presuming people will spend more. A ticket normally priced at Rs. 170-180 comes for Rs. 280-300 around a festival.
“You’re essentially making the film inaccessible to a certain section of the audience this way," Mohan said. “If you’re confident your film is good, wouldn’t you want people to come in large numbers? There is already differential pricing for weekdays and weekends," he added.
This year, it seems Bollywood will bank on merit rather than holidays. Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan, Sooryavanshi, Roohi Afzana, Gulabo Sitabo, among others are scheduled to release over regular weekends.
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