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The Indian film industry produces more films than anyone in the world. But, we have a very limited market. For example, India has eight screens per million population in 2019, compared to the US and Canada at 125 per million population. Basically, we have not even penetrated our own population in terms of entertainment. Further, with limited seats in multiplex, they share 50% of the market share. While, Hollywood can release Universal Pictures’ Oppenheimer, and Warner Brothers’ Barbie, and make incredible money. The limitation of the screen impacts the release of two or three films at the same time.
But, something exceptional happened last week for the film industry.
The last two weeks, particularly the Independence Day weekend, were considerably the best time for the Indian Box Office as a whole. With Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2, Akshay Kumar’s OMG 2 doing great numbers in the Hindi belt, and Superstar Rajnikanth’s Jailed doing incredible numbers for Tamil and South Indian box office. Although, Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi’s Bhola Shankar couldn’t garner the expected audience in the regional belt. Regardless, the films have made considerable money. As per experts, best numbers in a century for Indian Box Office. But, how did it happen?
Gadar 2 blockbuster run
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, released in 2001, is considered the greatest Indian film, with one of the highest box office gross of its time. The film also clashed with Aamir Khan’s Lagaan. Both films turned out to be great box office ventures. And, history repeats.
As per film analyst and critic, Taran Adarsh’s post,
TYPHOON - TSUNAMI - HURRICANE, that’s the power of #Gadar2 at the #BO… Yet another ₹ 30 cr+ day
Experts suggest that these numbers are historic, and have the potential to break the record of Shahrukh Khan’s Pathaan which grossed approx 550 crore in India.
Single Screen connotation
India’s first multiplex came in Saket, Delhi in 1997 through PVR. Still, Indian films were concentrated on single screens. With the rise of multiplex, the prominence of the single screen kept declining. PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis dominate the film market and garner significant profits through high ticket pricing, and F&B (food and beverages). The marketing of most films centres around Multiplex audiences, and ‘mass circuits’ are looked down upon. Terms like ‘he is a massy superstar’, ‘this is a massy numbers’ etc. come with a certain distaste.
Further, the single screens which aren’t doing well are readily converted into multiplexes to fetch more audiences. With Shahrukh’s Pathaan, there was news of single-screen theatres re-opening to meet the demands. These single-screen theatres had to shut down due to the pandemic. This reopening of single-screen theatres helped other Hindi films like Adipurush to get a good first-day collection. And, currently is profiting Gadar 2’s numbers.
Further, Gadar 2’s 60% revenue is coming from single screens. Even, Rajnikanth starrer Jailer has put housefull boards in front of single screen theatres.
Conclusion
Some people denote the success of Gadar 2 with Sunny Deol’s superstardom, some might not agree. His last release R Balki’s Chup didn’t fetch an audience. Anil Sharma’s last movie with Sunny Deol, Singh Saab The Great, was also an above-average grosser. The success also has a lot to do with the ‘Gadar’ film. The audience in the ‘mass’ circuit accepts the film with flying colours. In a sense, Anil Sharma’s mass-entertainer style of filmmaking with great action pieces, and dramatic dialogue delivery coupled with ‘Gadar’ film’s fan following fetched ‘blockbuster’ numbers for the film.
But, there is a slight twist too. The Akshay Kumar-Pankaj Tripathi-Yami Gautam starrer is doing great numbers too even on single screens. Hence, it’ll be unfair to dismiss massy circuit as just like masala-commercial-formula-based films. On the other side, Gadar 2 is witnessing incredible ticket sales in multiplexes too.
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