Batwara 1947's distributor softens stand, agrees to 50-50 shows with Awarapan 2; Spider-Man’s ‘MINIMUM 2 shows in single-screens’ demand leaves exhibitors worried
Here's the latest update from the Hollywood/Marvel world:
An exhibition source told Bollywood Hungama , “Earlier, their requirement was that 60% to 70% of the shows should be allotted to Batwara 1947 . However, they have now taken note of the exhibitors’ concerns. As a result, they have agreed to a 50-50 showcasing arrangement for both films.”
Adding to this, As per some exhibitors, the 50-50 arrangement will also apply to single-screen cinemas. However, most single-screen theatres across the country are yet to open bookings. One of the rare exceptions is the iconic Raj Mandir Cinema in Jaipur, which has allotted two shows each to Awarapan 2 and Batwara 1947 .
Meanwhile, But even as one issue appears to have been resolved, exhibitors are now faced with another challenge. On Tuesday, the distributors of Spider-Man: Brand New Day sent an email to cinemas, asking them to continue playing the movie with a substantial number of shows.
Notably, A trade source revealed, “In single-screen cinemas, they have asked for a minimum of two shows a day, while in two-screen theatres, the requirement is at least three shows daily. In three-screen cinemas, they have asked exhibitors to allot one full screen, comprising five shows a day, to Spider-Man: Brand New Day . In four-screen properties, the demand is for seven to eight shows, including at least one evening and one night show. In five-screen cinemas, they have asked for nine shows, while properties with six screens or more have been asked to allot 11 to 12 shows. They have also specified that at least two screens should be allotted to the movie in six-screen plexes.”
As per the latest buzz, The source further shared, “Sony’s directive has once again left exhibitors anxious as they are unsure how to divide the shows between the three films. Of course, Sony feels justified in making these demands as Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues to remain rock-solid at the ticket-window. It collected around Rs. 9 crores on Tuesday, and it is clear that the movie will continue to perform strongly over the Independence Day weekend. But for exhibitors, the challenge will be to divide the available shows in a way that satisfies all three distributors.”
In further updates, An exhibitor from Nawalgarh, Rajasthan, speaking on the condition of anonymity, sighed, “We always face this problem of doing ‘ batwara ’ of shows while making sure that none of the distributors is upset with us. We just wonder when this ‘ awarapan ’ will end.”
Source: Bollywood Hungama