Exhibitors gear up for steep drop in coll

The ongoing examination fever has already started showing its effect on the box-office with collections taking as sharp drop everywhere. According to exhibitors, the collections at most theatres are expected to drop by at least 30-40 percent in the weeks ahead. A majority of exhibitors are anxious about the poor flow of films in the coming few weeks, apart from the fact that the existing films have not been able to sustain at the box-office. "Apart from RANG DE BASANTI and the weekend response to the recently released, NAU DO GYARAH, most of the films released in the past few weeks have gone unnoticed at the box-office. Coupled with the fact that there are no major releases in March, it is going to be a tough time for exhibitors," says Manoj Desai, Executive Director of G-7.

The only film that exhibitors are counting on to prove the saving grace at the box-office is Priyadarshan's MALAMAAL WEEKLY, but Desai feels that the examination fever will be at its peak at that time and may have its effect on the family audiences. According to him, this period will last up to March 31 on which day two important films have been scheduled for release, the Salman starrer, SAAWAN-THE LOVE SEASON and Ram Gopal Varma's DARNA ZAROORI HAI.

On the other hand the multiplexes are making hay with the consistent flow of English films that are being released week after week. "It is a very ironical situation. While the Hindi films are fewer and have even less sustaining power, the English films are being released with a great number of prints and are being lapped up by the multiplexes," Desai reveals.