Bollywood release date changes abound
Ripple-effect from exhib and distrib standoff
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A UTV Motion Pictures spokeswoman says the dispute with exhibs led to a domino effect, with producers shifting release dates in a multiplex game of chess.
Laffer "Season's Greetings" has been pushed to January, while "Kurbaan" opens a week earlier than originally intended, Nov. 20, to avoid clashing with Eros Intl.'s bigger "De dhana dhan," which bows Nov. 25. The moves of "Hook ya Crook" (from Nov. 6 to Jan. 22) and "Chance pe Dance" (Dec. 11 to January) were described as "management decisions."
"We do actually plan our release schedules keeping in mind holidays worldwide, as 20% of our revenue comes from the overseas market," says UTV CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur.
Eros Intl.'s North American prexy Ken Naz says his company considers Thanksgiving weekend as prime moviegoing time, and his Indian counterparts were fine with releasing the Katrina Kaif-Akshay Khanna starrer Nov. 25.
While Eros usually does tweak skeds as films complete production, Naz says this year has been different due to May's standoff with exhibs.
"Three movies opened around Diwali (Oct. 17), which is unusual," he says.
Bollywood desperately needs a good second half of the year. Not only did the dispute close the spigot of pics during summer vacation in India, but the films that have been released during the year have not racked up stellar box office. The few bright spots have been Sahara One's "Wanted" with a $1.27 million worldwide gross, Devgan Films' "All the Best" with $777,400 and UTV's "Wake Up Sid," with $580,402.
