HOLLYWOOD -- Bollywood's been having a dismal year so far, with few pics drawing auds at the plex -- and now exhibs and producers are at loggerheads over payments.
Since Saturday a group of producers have refused to release any more pics to exhibs until they can get a better revenue-sharing deal. The producers want Indian exhibs to follow the Hollywood model.
"Producers and distributors have been compelled to go on strike with a heavy heart," Mukesh Bhatt, chairman of the United Forum for Bollywood Producers and Distributors, told news agency Press Trust of India.
Currently Hindi film producers and exhibs split box office 40-60. Producers want the split to be even while exhibs want to peg revenue to performance. Almost 65% of Indian box office comes from plexes, which charge more for tix than do older single-screen theaters.
With a string of disappointments since January and Indian Premier League cricket about to start next month, auds have plenty of reason to stay away from plexes, which have threatened to rerun older movies in the interim. Meanwhile "8x10 Tasveer," released Friday, may be the last Bollywood film until the two sides reach an agreement.
Contact Shalini Dore at
shali.dore@variety.com