New Delhi: Single-screen theatres in India are heaving a sigh of reduction with a current stream of mass market motion pictures retaining the tills ringing. However they’re nonetheless seeking to develop into multiplexes nicely conscious that such strokes of luck don’t final.
Going through challenges even earlier than covid-19 and struggling ever because the pandemic outbreak, single-screen theatres have been in a position to entice audiences from small cities due to movies akin to Gadar 2 and Jawan, aided by reasonably priced tickets.
Nonetheless, cinema homeowners are aware that such movies and beneficial circumstances are comparatively uncommon. So, many are actively in search of partnerships to remodel their institutions into two or three-screen multiplexes in keeping with the evolving dynamics of the cinema business.
“It has been a great comeback for us. Nonetheless, most single-screen homeowners wish to rework their properties. They’ve five-year plans to both tie up with builders or discover preparations with nationwide chains,” mentioned Satadeep Saha, director of SSR Cinemas Pvt. Ltd, a West Bengal-based firm.
To make sure, the chance value of working these cinemas stays excessive. Theatre homeowners admit that mass-market content material is uncommon and won’t arrive persistently within the Hindi-speaking belt, in contrast to within the south. That explains why Saha is already remodelling theatres in his state, working with builders and exploring properties in virgin territories to arrange multiplexes.
But, there’s a optimistic sentiment amongst single-screen theatre homeowners after lengthy. Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan had crossed the ₹300 crore mark inside India alone ultimately depend. In the meantime, Gadar 2, launched mid-August, has crossed the ₹515 crore mark ultimately depend, whereas Pathaan had earned ₹543 crore in January.
“Theatre homeowners are conscious this isn’t a year-long phenomenon and wish to tie up with chains or convert (into two or three-screen multiplexes) to be able to maintain,” mentioned Ashutosh Agarwal, proprietor of Star World Cinemas in Uttar Pradesh. Filling up an 800- or 1,000-seater cinema goes to be more and more not possible, Agarwal mentioned, and the one resolution is to separate the property into 200-300 seaters and play a number of movies on the identical time.
“Whereas stars like Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan flip older, no new or contemporary faces are discovering the identical type of draw. Plus, music isn’t that nice these days. These are large worries for the business,” Agarwal mentioned.
That mentioned, single display homeowners discover it heartening to see film-makers understand the potential of catering to the bottom widespread denominator among the many viewers, and the type of footfall that small-town audiences can convey when movies enchantment to their sensibilities. Regardless of affordable ticket pricing, these small screens have introduced in 35-40% of general revenues in case of mass-market hits akin to Gadar 2, in keeping with theatre homeowners and commerce specialists.
“By advantage of their ATP (common ticket worth), multiplexes aren’t meant for the widespread man, however solely a sure privileged and rich class. An amazing majority of this nation can solely afford to single display cinemas and it is smart for any film-maker to cater to them as a substitute of the hyper area of interest. The previous few months which have flipped the ratio (in favour of small-town theatres) have been a watch opener,” unbiased exhibitor Akshaye Rathi mentioned. Regardless of pandemic-induced challenges, not less than 90-95% of India’s single-screen cinemas have upgraded infrastructure together with air-conditioning, projectors and seats, Rathi added.
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Up to date: 13 Sep 2023, 12:08 AM IST
Supply: Live Mint