Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur) - Hindustan Times (Jaipur) - City
FIRST HALF A WASHOUT, WHAT NOW FOR THE FILM INDUSTRY?
Experts hope theatres in major centres will reopen soon and revive the box office
Along lull, followed by a spurt of releases and again uncertainty — this is how one can describe the Bollywood box office so far this year. Even as 2021 began on a promising note with theatrical releases of Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, Madam Chief Minister, Roohi, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, Mumbai Saga and Saina, the second wave of Covid-19 made it impossible to release any film since March. It has meant a lacklustre first half, but will the second half prove any better for Bollywood?
Trade expert Taran Adarsh is looking forward to cinemas reopening in major centres. “Until the Mumbai circuit and Delhi cinemas open up, business won’t be on track. Even Bell Bottom that was to release on July 27, had to be pushed again,” he says.
Producer Anand Pandit, who has Chehre ready for release, expects vaccinations to make a difference. “Hopefully, in the second half of the year, we can see production work regaining some normalcy, theatres reopening, big-ticket films releasing and the industry finding its feet,” he shares.
The fear of another disruption has filmmakers wary of planning for the second half. “There’s so much uncertainty, how can we plan?” says filmmaker Anees Bazmee, adding, “We need an audience. The theatres that reopened aren’t getting returns, so they aren’t keen to release new films.”
Siddharth Anand Kumar, of Saregama India Ltd, says though the sense of normalcy the industry registered in the beginning of 2021 was erased by the second wave, there’s hope. “The calendar looks promising with entertainers like Sooryavanshi, 83, KGF 2 and Attack queued up for theatrical release. I think Diwali will be a turning point, if we don’t see a third wave and the current pace of vaccination sustains,” he observes.
And some believe the Hindi film industry will get a much-needed confidence boost from Hollywood. Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi says, “There are a lot of big Hollywood films lined up for release...it’ll take a couple of them to get the ball rolling.”