Blame this on the multiplexes. Their exorbitant ticket rates ensure that even if two people watch a film show, they'll add more to the profits than 10 people watching the same film in a small town. So, as much as 75 per cent of Bunty Aur Babli's earnings would come from the multiplexes, claims Nahata. Moreover, the tax exemption for multiplexes in Maharashtra and Gujarat means no sharing of profits with the government either. According to the Yes Bank report, multiplexes, which constitute 2.3 per cent of screens in India, account for 21 to 25 per cent of total grosses for all Hindi films.
In fact, today, ticket sales are not the sole determinants of a film's profits. The theatrical distribution market exhausts within four weeks of release. But there are other windows that have opened up: DVD, cable and satellite rights for example. The home video market is opening up between one to eight weeks of theatrical release and TV within six to nine weeks. Average realisation to producers of top 50 Hindi films from sale of home video rights has risen almost 100 per cent in the last two years. A big film can fetch as much as Rs 1.5 crore for DVD rights. And cellphone ringtones are another growing income stream.
"Bunty Aur Babli can easily get Rs 4.5 crore for satellite rights which is about 35 per cent of its Rs 12 crore budget," explains Nahata. "Filmmakers like Ram Gopal Verma depend a lot on such non-theatrical revenue." According to Mirani, satellite and TV rights for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black have gone for a stunning Rs 5 crore.
So next time if you are the lone viewer of a film at a multiplex, don't despair. You might still be watching a hit.
