After weak Diwali footfall, multiplexes pin hopes on December releases

The festival of lights is an occasion that the film exhibition industry always looks forward to. This year has bucked the trend though. Despite a long Diwali weekend and strong promotional offers run by studios such Yashraj Films, footfalls have been weak at cinema halls.

Conversations with multiplex operators reveal that producers remain wary of releasing their films this month. The result? There were no new films on Friday or Saturday, the first two days of Diwali. Instead, cinema halls saw new releases on Sunday, an unusual practice for Bollywood. Manoj-Bajpai-starrer Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari, which is a comedy-drama, and niche