SALMAN’S DOMINO EFFECT
WITH CRORES RIDING ON HIM, SALMAN KHAN’S SENTENCING IN THE 20- YEAR- OLD BLACKBUCK CASE THROWS UP SERIOUS CONCERNS OVER THE MONETARY IMPACT OF THE VERDICT, ESPECIALLY IF THE SUPERSTAR ACTOR FAILS TO GET BAIL.
All his films make a minimum of 200 crores. Three ` films have been announced... so approximately 600 ` crores are riding at the box- office — GIRISH WANKHEDE
The five- year jail sentence handed to Salman Khan by a Jodhpur court in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case may jeopardise Bollywood films worth 600 ` crores, including Race 3, which will be impacted immediately. Not to forget the multiple endorsements and TV shows such as 10 Ka
Dum and Bigg Boss that he was to be a part of.
FILMS THAT ARE HIT
“Race 3 is 90 per cent complete and may be affected. The film has some substantial work in terms of shooting, dubbing and post- production and the promotions have to be done as well. Sanjay Dutt was allowed to finish films like Policegiri before he was sent to prison. People feel that Salman may also be allowed to do so under the same provision so that the producers do not suffer,” says trade analyst Atul Mohan.
Apart from Race 3, there are also other movies like the Atul Agnihotri- produced and Ali Abbas Zafar- directed film Bharat and Arbaaz Khan- produced and Prabhudeva- directed Dabangg 3, which Salman was to be a part of. Besides this, films like Sajid Nadiadwala’s Kick 2 and Remo D Souza’s dance film have also been announced.
“Whatever is left of Race 3 will have to be completed soon because the film is releasing in June. Kick
2, Dabangg 3 and Bharat were yet to start, so there isn’t much monetary loss there. However, it is a huge loss to the industry and trade as he is a big star who guarantees big success,” says trade analyst Komal Nahta, adding,
“Race 3 has 125- 150 crores riding on it. Other films won’t be stuck, but time will be lost. He may have planned it knowing that April
5 is the date of the judgement.”
“All his films make a minimum of 200 crores. Three ` films have already been announced. Race
3 is the biggest Id release, so approximately 600 ` crores are riding at the boxoffice,” says trade analyst Girish Wankhede.
The decision will also impact Loveratri, the movie which was a launch pad for brother- in- law Ayush Sharma. Salman, the producer of the movie, was also supposed to feature in a song in the movie. Being unable to promote the movie can also impact its performance at the box- office if he fails to get bail.
HANGING IN LIMBO
Distributor Rajesh Thadani says, “He has close to 400 ` to 500 crores riding on him. He has to shoot some more portions for Race 3, which is a huge film for everyone. Besides this, he also has lots of endorsements and TV shows. Let’s see what happens, but the industry will have to face a huge loss. He would have also taken a signing amount for the films that he had announced, includingBharat, Dabangg 3 and Kick 2.”
Besides this, Salman Khan has also shot for the promo of Dus Ka
Dum, and the show is slotted to start in a few months. There is also the next season of Bigg Boss, which he has been hosting for several years now.
The superstar is also endorsing over nine brands at the moment, out of which five are underway and need to be shot. “Those commercials are also stuck. Brands will now think a lot before getting him to endorse or renew the contract or even shoot further with him as it creates a negative impact in the form of a role model,” says a brand expert, not wishing to be named.
INDUSTRY IMPACT
In all, over 600 crores worth of ` films, 100 crores worth of Dus Ka `
Dum and nine brand endorsements worth around 20 crores each are ` riding on Pocket Hercules’ shoulders! Trade analyst Ramesh Bala opines, “It all depends how soon he can get bail and how soon he can get back to Mumbai to work. It will immediately affect Race 3. If he spends more time in jail, it will be a big loss to the film industry.”
Veteran distributor Ramesh Sippy is however upbeat.” All these equations will come into view only if Salman does not get bail. Till that time, yes, the sword hangs over our heads.”
Trade analyst Vinod Mirani feels that the loss wouldn’t matter much to the industry. “The case is now 20 years old. It may not affect anything because I feel he will come out on bail anyway. The kind of money the industry is making these days, it doesn’t matter what amount is riding on him. People will continue to sympathise with him.”