Filmi fracas: Exhibitors put producers in a digital pickle

Hyderabad: In the first general body of meeting of the newly-elected Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce, the producers and distributors demanded exhibitors and digital equipment suppliers to reduce the hiring rent since its eating into their revenues.

• Instead of installing digital screening equipment in the theatres on their own, the exhibitors are hiring the equipment and putting the burden on producers and distributors by charging exorbitant rents
• In Maharashtra, digital theatres charge `15,000 per month, whereas in 1,700-odd theatres in TS and AP, the rent is as high as `10,800 per week

Earlier, the exhibitors used to upgrade their theatres like installing Dolby sound and DTS with their own money, but now the exhibitors are putting the burden on producers and distributors.

In Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh, there are more than 1,700-odd digital theatres that are charging exorbitant rents from filmmakers. “Earlier, it used to be the responsibility of the exhibitors to upgrade theatres by spending money from their own pockets.

But now they are doing it at the expense of producers and distributors who screen their films in those theatres which is unfair,” says producer Nayimuddin, who compares the rentals with Maharashtra.

“In Maharashtra, exhibitors and digital equipment suppliers charge Rs 15,000 rent per month for digital projection, whereas in TS and AP, they are charging around Rs 10,800 per week. It comes around Rs 44,000 which is almost four times that of Maharashtra rental rates,” he laments.

Another producer Thota Krishna says, “In other states, exhibitors and equipment supplier would be different, but in AP and TS both are the same people who are minting money in crores. Three T-town bigwigs who control more than 1,500 theatres on lease also supply digital equipment like Qube, UFO and PXD on hire.”

He said that they urged them to cut it down drastically to save 120-odd small films that release every year. “These days, the first week collections determine the fate of the film, and it’s almost like ‘do-or-die’ situation for producers and distributors.

So what’s the point in reducing small amounts in second or third week? It should be reduced across the board. We urged the governments to intervene and save hundreds of producers from going bankrupt,” he adds.

Adding to their woes, even advertisement money earned by Qube, UFO and PXD during screening of new films would go into their pockets. Advertisers prefer big stars films to promote their products.

Instead of sharing it ad revenue with the producer who made the film and the distributor who released it, the theatre owners gobble it up which is very unfair," says producer P Kumar.

By B V S Prakash