As ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 reaches its last league, cricket euphoria has gripped the nation. While a billion fans are betting high on India's chances in the tournament, Bollywood has taken a defensive stance in this cricket-heavy season. With only four B-budget releases since the start of the World Cup in mid-February — Tanu Weds Manu, Yeh Dooriyaan, Phirr and Shagird – film producers are anticipating a lull in the multiplexes and playing it safe.
Not a single Bollywood film releases between March 12 and March 31, which sees the last phase of the league matches, quarter-finals and semi-finals of the World Cup being played out between teams.
Film trade analyst Komal Nahta said, “The cricket season is a lean period for the film industry. Attendance in the theatres falls by almost 25-30%. Hence, producers avoid the risk of releasing big budget films during this season size shrinks. Logically, there are fewer releases and almost no big-budget films. With the World Cup happening in India, this year is even drier. We've seen 18-20% occupancy since the tournament began, which will drop by another 2-3% as it progresses towards the end.” This period of drought will be broken by Vashu Bhagnani’s Faltu, Eros International's multi-starrer Game, and PVR's Teen Thai Bhai, which release on April 1, a day before the World Cup final. Ram Mirchandani, chief creative officer, Eros International said, “If India reaches the final, we lose 8 hours which is about 3 shows. But the other shows should not get affected as audiences who have been starved off film content for a month, will lap up whatever is offered to them. We expect Game to do a business of R45-50 crore in the first week.”
As many as 15 releases, including big-budget films like...
Not a single Bollywood film releases between March 12 and March 31, which sees the last phase of the league matches, quarter-finals and semi-finals of the World Cup being played out between teams.
Film trade analyst Komal Nahta said, “The cricket season is a lean period for the film industry. Attendance in the theatres falls by almost 25-30%. Hence, producers avoid the risk of releasing big budget films during this season size shrinks. Logically, there are fewer releases and almost no big-budget films. With the World Cup happening in India, this year is even drier. We've seen 18-20% occupancy since the tournament began, which will drop by another 2-3% as it progresses towards the end.” This period of drought will be broken by Vashu Bhagnani’s Faltu, Eros International's multi-starrer Game, and PVR's Teen Thai Bhai, which release on April 1, a day before the World Cup final. Ram Mirchandani, chief creative officer, Eros International said, “If India reaches the final, we lose 8 hours which is about 3 shows. But the other shows should not get affected as audiences who have been starved off film content for a month, will lap up whatever is offered to them. We expect Game to do a business of R45-50 crore in the first week.”
As many as 15 releases, including big-budget films like...
