Re: OTTs & TV Shows are killing my interest in Bollywood films & theatres | You? I believe Brahmastra has wiped out over Rs 800 crores in wealth of PVR and ONOX investors. Leading actors like Tiger have had to take a 50% haircut for coming films. So OTT may have hit Bollywood hard (On the surface). Few mistakes Bollywood could correct;
a. Announcing OTT release dates when the movie hits theatres. People will wait a month to catch it at home
b. Exorbitant fees charged by lead actors. (I mean, Akshay Kumar walked away with Rs 116 Crores with just one movie)
c. Lack of imaginative scripts that strike a chord with the audience
d. Lazy remakes of our own Indian films/'hits' in other languages (Everything is available online these days)
e. Bollywood is now more about 'proposals' ('Hit leading pair' + 'Hit director' + 'Hit music director'), than dynamic scripts. Where is the story, and how much is a writer paid anyways?
f. Recovery model not in the picture. It's a business EOD (End Of Day), and there must be team to ensure money recoveries are in line with amount invested (Realistically speaking). Have more previews with non-bollywood people, keep testing the product - like they do for ad-films)
g. Nri films. Movie makers target overseas customer base, neglecting audiences in India and their tastes. This is like hammering our own feet, as movies steeped in our culture/valour are doing well
h. OTT used to offer a great deal of money to filmmakers earlier, thereby recovering full cost. But they've smartened up now, offering good deals only to 'hit' films
i. Stranglehold of Yashraj Films and Dharma Productions on Bollywood; where one man dictates the vision for the film (overriding the director), the cast, the music etc. Director should be given a free reign
j. Higher costs involved in visiting theatres. For a family of four, it's Rs 2000 for tickets and Rs 3000 for their exorbitantly priced snacks (As I discovered lately). Some of us have more fun organising theme viewings at home with our gang of friends (With constantly refilled jugs of drinks and food). HD Overhead projectors/theatre seating/lights/THX sound have made it exciting (and are offering the full theatre experience at home). Moreover, my aged mom, dadi etc, who avoid going out, are all part of the experience
k. Fear of contracting Covid in a closed theatre with AC recirculating
l. Unruly mobs/students who create pandemonium in theatres, passing loud comments etc on scenes
m. Transportation cost is pretty high with Diesel/Petrol seeing all time highs. Trip to a distant mall will require at least Rs 500 for petrol (in my case)
n. Death of the single screen. I caught KGF1 paying just Rs 120 on the first day/first show. But that cinema theatre has made way for a commercial complex now. Malls (PVR/INOX) have a choke-hold on the business. There are front-row audiences (Gandhi class as we call it), who have just Rs 100-200 as disposable income. This class should not be ignored as 'volume business' was coming from there
o. Releasing films in 5 languages to capture a larger audience. Such ambitious plans mean higher budgetary allocation and higher costs with relation to distribution/promotion etc. If a film bombs, it nose dives in all 5 languages
p. Planning a sequel right at the concept stage. Brahmastra 1 has bombed, so what happens to Brahmastra 2? Is it feasible to make that now? Producers must gauge reactions to Part-1 and then plan more.
q. Finally, climbing ticket prices should be curbed by reducing overall costs - paying everyone on 'overflow' basis. That is, once the movie recovers money everyone gets a handsome bonus. Till then it's kept at 'base salary'
r. 'Boycott' phenomenon. People are latching on any vague tit-bit/gossip either on the cast, or story and issuing boycott calls. While, its efficacy is debatable, 'weak films' are certainly falling prey - leading to fear among makers
s. Leading actors (and main crew, perhaps) should be dedicated to 'a single project at a time'. Akshay Kumar (My favourite) released a film every three months (This year), and the toll that has taken on his film/films can be seen in the last few releases. Also, 'Familiarity breeds contempt' they say, so fewer films build an aura around the actor and audience wants more (I feel)
Please feel free to add to the above points - so if anyone from Bollywood is reading this, they can mark a course correction. This is coming from 'us, the users'. After all we love movies don't we, and want them to succeed! Just the manner in which we watch them seems to be changing. But will that avenue impose a budgetary constraint on makers and cull quality/number of films is the real worry
Last edited by Eddy : 12th September 2022 at 02:44.
Reason: spacing for better readability
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