Bollywood bets big on festive season

Big-budget films are back this festive season, with close to Rs 650 crore at stake between October and December. Eight mega-budget films that are supposed to hit the theatres, include Ra.One, Rockstar, Agent Vinod and Don 2 with budgets of over Rs 50 crore each.

Most producers and distributors are bullish on the October -December quarter looking to cash in on the Diwali and Christmas breaks. Multiplexes have also decided to make the most of the occasion by raising ticket prices by 15 to 20 per cent, while earmarking higher revenues from advertising and food and beverages.

“The quarter is generally choc-a-bloc with movies as producers and distributors know that business is heady during these months, thanks to the Diwali and Christmas breaks,” said Suniel Wadhwa, an independent distributor.
 

EXTRAVAGANT TINSELTOWN IN LIMELIGHT
Film	Production/Distribution

Date

Cost 
(Rs crore)

Ra.One Red Chillies/Eros26-Oct170 Rockstar Shree Ashtavinayak/Eros11-Nov50 Desi BoyzEros25-Nov60 Agent VinodEros/Illuminati Films9-Dec60 PlayersViacom 18 Motion
PicturesTo be
announced60 Don 2Excel entertainment/ 
Reliance Big Pictures23-Dec120

Ra.One, produced by Shahrukh Khan, is touted to be the most expensive Bollywood film till date with production and marketing budgets totalling to nearly Rs 170 crore. It will be released during Diwali (Oct 26) in 3D and 2D formats in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The movie starring SRK, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal is being distributed by Eros International.

“The film industry is hoping that the good run continues with more releases scheduled in the festive season,” said Kamal Jain CFO, Eros International.

Eros has three other big-budget pictures lined up for the quarter. While Rockstar, starring Ranbir Kapoor and directed by Imtiaz Ali, and Desi Boyz with Akshay Kumar, John Abraham and Deepika Padukone will hit the screens on November 11 and 25, respectively. Agent Vinod, starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, will be released on December 9.

Big bucks are also riding on Farhan Akthar’s Don 2, starring SRK and Kareena Kapoor (December 23), Abbas Mustan’s Players (date yet to be announced) and the Vidya Balan-starrer, The Dirty Picture (December 2). This would be followed by Yash Raj Films’s Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl (December 9), starring the Band Baajaa Baaraat team Ranvir and Anushka.

According to film trade analysts, the quantum of money at stake this year is nearly double of the budget of the movies released last year. Last year there was around Rs 300-350 crore at stake during the festive season. But the quarter had dismal performance, barring two hits, Golmaal 3 and Anjaana Anjaani.

However, experts said the risk for both producers and distributors is much less compared to previous years, as most have pre-sold their satellite and television rights and music rights which have seen an upward trend.

Analysts also warned of a downside to the rush. The films will have to hit paydirt in the opening week as there will be competition emerging the weeks thereafter. Star power and charisma will, no doubt, be a decisive factor.

The recent performance of big-budget films has been inspiring with three films: Singham, Ready and BodyGuard crossing the Rs 100-crore mark.

Experts said July, which had blockbusters such as Delhi Belly, Singham and Murder have contributed 26 per cent of the overall revenues. The 30-odd Bollywood films released from June have managed to generate Rs 450-500 crore.