Unlock 5.0 Guidelines: Theatres are reopening, but where are the movies?

The Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi like many films saw many changes in release date. While exhibitors are hoping Sooryavanshi to release this Diwali, it is the staggered reopening of theatres across India that may push release date of Sooryavanshi to January on Republic Day. (Image: Moneycontrol)

While theatres have been allowed to reopen from October 15, one major concern for exhibitors is content.

According to Karan Taurani, Vice President, Elara Capital: “No new large-scale content or a big Hindi film will release in theatres before December.”

He added that even Hollywood films will test the waters in November, or when Maharashtra allows theatres to reopen.

Maharashtra alone contributes around 30 percent of box-office revenues for Hollywood and Bollywood films, said Taurani.

Although cinemas are likely to start playing old content due to the staggered opening of theatres across India, there is enough new content to keep the audience entertained, say exhibitors.

Films in the pipeline
PVR CEO Gautam Dutta said that only around 30 films, including movies from the Southern film industry and Bollywood, have released on video-streaming platforms. He added that the chain has content to last till March next year.

Dutta listed film titles awaiting release in theatres. From Bollywood, there are films such as Sooryavanshi, 83, Bunty and Babli 2, Jayesh Bhai Jordaar, Chalang, Chehre, Toofan, Roohi Afza.

Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi is expected to release during Christmas and Ranveer Singh’s 83 is likely to release next year on Republic Day. However, the makers have not announced the new release dates of the two films.

From the South, KGF 2 is waiting to be released in theatres. Even the makers of Vijay-starrer Master have been eagerly waiting for theatres to reopen and had said no to a digital premiere.

There are plenty of Hollywood films as well that Indian theatres can screen, including Christopher Nolan's Tenet, Wonder Woman, No Time To Die, The King's Man, Tom & Jerry and Dune.

On October 2, makers of No Time to Die announced that the film will release next year on April 2, delayed by a year as the film was initially planned to release in April this year.

Upcoming films
In a report released last month, Taurani had said that the content pipeline for next year is strong.

“In terms of Hollywood content, there is strong visibility of upcoming films as 35 are almost ready for release — comprising 15 that are completed and 20 that are in the post-production phase,” Taurani had said.

In addition, films such as Brahmastra, Radhe, Maidaan, Shamshera, Bhool Bhulaiyya 2, Satyameva Jayate (2), Jayeshbhai Jordaar and Gangubai Kathiawadi, which are expected to released in theatres next year, are expected to rake in Rs 1,150 crore at the box office.

Taurani said that the strong content line-up should lead to healthy box office collections. He believes that the supply of content is now a moderate risk as shoots are returning to normalcy and a slate of large films has been announced by producers.