Release date changes hit exhibitors, producers down south
Trade experts have revealed that delays in film releases are a common occurrence in the southern movie industries. Independent producers often face significant debts, preventing the release of prints until financial obligations are met. In addition, delays may occur if over-the-top (OTT) rights for the films are unsold, prompting producers to wait until deals are secured before taking the theatrical risk.
Independent trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai said, This is a huge challenge for theaters that depend on big films and pay huge advances to secure deals to screen them. It is, however, seen as a part and parcel of the movie business in the south, where a lot of films are financed independently and prints cannot be released unless payments are made to creditors. That is why changing release dates after formal announcements is quite common.
Producers in the southern movie industries are also hesitant to release films in theaters without securing deals for satellite and digital sales. Leading OTT streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have been prioritizing content budgets on acquiring big-ticket, star-studded films after theatrical releases. As a result, low-budget films or those failing at the box office are losing out on opportunities. Many theatrical flops remain unsold for months without finding buyers.
Mukesh Mehta, founder of Malayalam film production and distribution company E4 Entertainment, confirmed that a film will not be released in theaters unless digital sales are in place. Mehta added, Producers are not really worried (about reshuffling of dates) as long as they aren’t clashing with another big title at the box office. Many of them aren’t even expecting big success in cinemas.
Despite the challenges of frequent release date changes in the southern movie industries, theater owners and trade experts emphasize that it hasn’t affected their business prospects significantly, thanks to the consistent high quality of filmmaking in the region.
Experts suggest that the strategy of minimizing promotions and swiftly releasing films in theaters proves to be effective. This approach aligns with the limited attention span of audiences, as they prefer not to be inundated with marketing communication as long as they know a movie with a compelling story is on the horizon.
Amit Sharma, managing director of Miraj Entertainment, an organization operating multiplex theaters, explained, There is an understanding that most big-ticket movies being made at the moment are not just VFX-heavy but have to be dubbed and marketed in multiple languages. It is often easy to misjudge timings at times, before realizing that one may need more time for post-production than initially believed.
In conclusion, the southern movie industries frequently face challenges regarding release dates, but theater owners and trade experts are resilient due to the region’s consistent high-quality filmmaking. Producers prioritize securing digital sales before releasing films in theaters, and the strategy of minimizing promotions and swiftly releasing films has proven effective in capturing audience attention.
