Pradeep Tandon is Consultant for Cinemas of both the Single Screens as well as the Multilexes.
How are single screens supposed to survive when odds are totally against them? The government gives them no benefits to face the competition from multiplexes?
It’s the Single Screen Cinemas only who started this Industry and because of their initiative Cinema Industry has reached to this level. Now when their survival has become Challenging Government should charge them with Minimum Entertainment Tax.
Few films are made which appeal to single screen crowd and when such a film comes from a reputed production house and boasts of a decent star cast, the distributor asks for impractical MG’s which are usually not possible to recover, let alone make profit.
Terms & conditions should be the same for both the Single Screens & the Multiplexes. No one has a right to Charge 2 different Prices for the same services. Distributors have to Pay the Digital Charges for every Cinema to the companies like Real Image and that amount is a nominal one. To be on safer side Distributors can charge that fixed amount from Single cinemas in case they have a doubt about their business
Shouldn’t distributors be more practical when dealing with single screens since they can’t go on increasing ticket rates to cover high MG’s like multiplexes can; that will only drive away our audiences.
Cinema Industry is there to cater to each & every Class of People. Increased ticket Prices at Single Screens to recover the MG loses thus is a loss of business. Single Screen Cinemas should also get a movie on percentage basis which is beneficial for the distributor, the exhibitor & the audiences.
While at multiplexes the share of the distributor tapers down as the film goes into its 2nd or 3rd week, it is the Single Screen that gives constant share to a film every week that follows.
Sharing the amount with distributors in the 2nd & 3rd week should be reduced for the Single Screens too as there is a heavy drop in business even for a blockbusters after the 1st week while the running expenses of a cinema remains the same. To make the Single Screens survive they must get a government & a distributor’s support.
It is necessary for a film to be appreciated by both, the Multiplex as well as the Single Screen audience for it to turn into a big grosser and on that count, the survival of the Single Screen is as much necessary.
As the class of audiences is fixed for the Single Screen, to convert a Hit movie into a blockbuster Single Screen Cinemas too play a vital role as there are still many small cities & villages where multiplexes are not there and Single Screen Cinemas are ruling.
What are your views on the consolidation happening in the exhibition industry and the humongous deals?
Big Exhibitors are always in a hunt for the new Location or else is ready at any time to take over the smaller exhibitors. This way Big Players are ruling the market and I believe one day they will start dominating the distributors also as they will have the maximum market Share. There is a probability that this market may turn into a monopoly market within the next few years
Do you think the reviews of films by critics play an important role of drawing the audience to the cinema?
Critics review plays a very important role. Good reviews makes up the mind of a people to go for a movie while a bad review changes the mind of the people to not go for a movie even if he wanted to see it.
Why do you think few studios are closing down their Hindi film production business? What do you think are possible reasons?
I think they are unable to deliver Hindi films that are accepted by all classes. They mainly make films for Multiplex audiences, and only that’s the reason why the audiences are shifting to Small Screen Serials.
What is the difference between the corporate run studios & traditional family run studios? Who holds the upper hand?
In India we have only Yashraj films & Eros International and a few more and they know the taste of the Hindi Cinema audiences better than any other corporate run studios
Your views on Entertainment taxation policies don’t you think it’s too high in a few states? Do you think it would be best if the taxation could be reduced and made uniform all over the country? Have you & the Multiplex Association ever tried to negotiate with the government?
GST has been implemented from 1st Apr, 2017. In it there is a one Single Tax in all the states. I think this will help in uniformation.
