Theatres pin hopes on stars like Salman Khan to 'resurrect fortunes of cinemas'

Film trade analysts called this year's Eid the dullest period for cinema business due to no Salman Khan release because of closure of cinemas. For the first time since 2013, fans missed out on a Salman Khan release. While Radhe was scheduled to release this Eid, the film's release is on hold due to coronavirus. Image: Twitter

It's been around two months since theatres reopened in India but the big screens have seen limited film releases so far. From Bollywood, only seven films released in cinemas in the last two months and no big venture has hit the theatres yet.

This is why exhibitors across the country wrote a letter to actor Salman Khan on January 2 requesting him to release his upcoming big Bollywood venture Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai in theatres on Eid this year.

"Over the last 10 months, hundreds of single screen/independent cinemas have pulled down their shutters permanently and this has resulted in the loss of livelihood for lakhs of people who were employed by them directly and indirectly. Without a constant supply of content that is relevant to its audience, running a cinema hall is close to impossible," exhibitors wrote in the letter.

Further, theatre owners said that Khan's films have played an important role in bringing audiences to single screen cinemas for over a decade.

"Your film Radhe- Your Most Wanted Bhai is among the few that are capable of resurrecting the fortunes of independent/single screen cinemas across the country. A film like that, if released widely can give not just financial support and relief, but also a ray of hope to owners and employees of theatres in the context of their future," exhibitors told Khan.

There is no denying that smaller multiplexes and single screen cinemas are the hardest hit due to dearth of content and the release of a film like Radhe in theatres will be beneficial in the revival of the overall box office business.

Even multiplexes are waiting for the release of big Bollywood ventures to see an improvement in occupancies which have not gone beyond 10-20 percent. Only regional films, in limited markets, have seen occupancies reach 50 percent -- which currently is a 'houseful' for theatres.

Opening weekends for films like Wonder Woman 1984, Tenet and recently-released Telugu movie Solo Brathuke So Better have been in the range of Rs 8-11 crore. But box office business needs a lot more than that and this is why exhibitors are pinning their hopes on films like Khan's Radhe which is expected to do a business of Rs 175 crore.

Analysts point out that so far, it is only the youth that is coming out to watch films and the family audience -- accounting for 35 percent of the footfall -- is still staying away. It is expected that films like Radhe, Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh's 83 will bring this family audience back to the theatres.

Plus, after a dull Eid in 2020 as theatres were shut due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, movie-goers and exhibitors are eagerly waiting for a Salman Khan release.

For exhibitors, be it single-screen owners or multiplex operators, Khan's Eid releases have earned strong collections at the box office.

From Dabangg to Race 3, his films have always opened on a strong note. Sometimes, despite weak content, Khan's Eid releases attracted strong footfall in theatres.

Dabangg which had released in 2010 during Eid holiday had opened with collections to the tune of Rs 14 crore and the film registered lifetime revenue of over Rs 140 crore. The 2018 release Race 3 also opened on a  strong note with opening day revenue of Rs 27 crore and lifetime business of Rs 166 crore. Khan's last Eid release Bharat had recorded highest opening day collection of Rs 42 crore and did an overall business of over Rs 200 crore.

Exhibitors say that while some of Khan's films like Tubelight and Race 3 did not offer quality content, the films managed to help them collect strong revenues on the opening day.

This is why exhibitors have urged Khan to plan Radhe's release at every cinema in the country on Eid this year saying that "there cannot be a better eidi than that for us film exhibitors."