Hollywood: The new threat to Bollywood?
8:07 AM
Big Box-office collections of Hollywood films is forcing B-Town producers to rethink their release dates
Upala KBR (DNA; May 4, 2016)
What changed
Today with evolving audience tastes, good penetration in the Indian market, large-scale distribution and dubbing in regional languages for a wider audience, Hollywood movies is taking Bollywood head-on with their huge B-O figures. And now, B-Town producers are postponing their release dates to avoid clashes with them. Case in point: Baahubali: The Conclusion, releasing April 14, 2017. However, since Fast & Furious 8 has announced the same date, trade sources feel the Baahubali sequel might move its date.
Facts in figures
2015 saw three Hollywood films cross the Rs 100 crore mark, despite blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Baahubali and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. It was also the year where Fast & Furious 7 took the Indian box-office by storm and grossed Rs 172 crore (lifetime). Sushant Singh Rajput’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshi released the same day and got washed out (Rs 27.05 crore (lifetime business). Jurassic World (grossed Rs 152 crore in India) released on June 12 with Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Rs 41.23 crore worldwide) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (Rs 111 crore).
Growing competition
The first quarter of the year has passed and already seen the releases of Batman vs Superman (March 25), Kung Fu Panda 3 (April 1) and The Jungle Book. Film trade expert Girish Johar says, “Today there’s been a paradigm shift in the minds of Bollywood producers because of the box-office success of Hollywood films which are big brands or franchises like The Jungle Book (in its fourth week, the total collections now stand at Rs 158.92 crore), the Fast & The Furious series and the Batman trilogy. Bollywood producers are now thinking twice before releasing their films on the same day. All these films had a fabulous opening and much better than expected. In the last five years, the contribution of Hollywood films to the box-office has almost doubled —from 5-7 per cent it has increased to 10 per cent. So now, Bollywood producers are considering which big Hollywood films are coming before finalising their release dates. This year, we will see the release of films like Captain America, X-Men, Independence Day, Tom Hanks-Irrfan-starrer Inferno and the animation flick Angry Birds while 2017 will see the release of XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage, the next Pirates Of The Caribbean and Priyanka Chopra’s Baywatch, so yes the competition is growing. Earlier, it was about the three Khans, now producers have to contend with Hollywood films as well.”
Apprehensions
Trade analyst Amul Mohan adds that the worst sufferer from the Hollywood brigade was the John Abraham-starrer Rocky Handsome (lifetime business of Rs 25 crore) which released with Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice (four days BO collection was Rs 28.25 cr) on March 24 this year. “Yes, today Bollywood producers are re-thinking their release dates, especially if they are clashing with a franchise or a big movie. They are apprehensive about releasing at the same time as Hollywood films are eating majorly into their business. Hollywood films have a set market, a loyal audience and are time-based. Big franchises like the Fast & Furious series, Batman vs Superman are always going to trouble Indian producers. Earlier, Hollywood studios would get to release their films much later in India whereas now they get to release it just a week prior to their release in USA. The lifetime collections of The Jungle Book in India should cross over Rs 175 crore which is huge. It has definitely eaten into the collection of Fan which released a week later (April 15).”
The big crush
Mohan adds that the Hollywood BO boom in India has increased the confidence of Hollywood studios like Disney who released The Jungle Book recently and will release Captain America: Civil War this week. “One of India’s young stars has dubbed it in Hindi making it easier for them to push their product in Indian markets. It’s easy money to put for promotions of Hollywood films and give a good fight to Bollywood releases. This is a new trend in the last couple of years as Hollywood studios are so confident of their product that they are using the same marketing panache as Indian films. But what is scary in this scenario is the fate of small-budget films like One Night Stand, Traffic, and 1920 London which will release with Captain America. Small budget films can’t release with bigger Bollywood films and will end up getting crushed with big Hollywood releases. “
Producer Ramesh Taurani however, has a different perspective. He says, “The problem is that there are only 52 weeks in a year and a handful of holidays. And South and Bollywood films combined add up to a 150 films releases. As producers we don’t have any option to change our release dates. Also, not all Hollywood films do well in India except maybe a few big films, action dramas, superhero films and big franchises. I will not sacrifice a good date and will take on a Hollywood film. No Bollywood producer will sacrifice a holiday to avoid a clash with a Hollywood film. I don’t think Baahubali 2 should change their date. They will will score over Fast & Furious 8 in the South as they have a loyal market. The first part was a huge success so first preference will be given to Baahubali 2. Though some amount of loss will happen, both films will do business.”
BIG IN 2016
May 6: Captain America: Civil War
May 13: Angry Birds
May 20: X Men: Apocalypse
June 24: Independence Day: Resurgence
July 1: The Legend Of Tarzan
July 15: Ice Age: Collision Course, Ghostbusters
August 5: Suicide Squad
October 14: Inferno
December 16: Rogue One: Star Wars
Upala KBR (DNA; May 4, 2016)
Business has been booming for Hollywood films in India
over the last few years. As late as last year, Hollywood biggies were
still in direct competition with big B-Town releases, but had to usually
bow out. If you remember, Bond film Spectre (it debuted to Rs 23
crore in its opening weekend) was delayed here for two weeks, so it
didn’t clash with Salman Khan-starrer Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
What changed
Today with evolving audience tastes, good penetration in the Indian market, large-scale distribution and dubbing in regional languages for a wider audience, Hollywood movies is taking Bollywood head-on with their huge B-O figures. And now, B-Town producers are postponing their release dates to avoid clashes with them. Case in point: Baahubali: The Conclusion, releasing April 14, 2017. However, since Fast & Furious 8 has announced the same date, trade sources feel the Baahubali sequel might move its date.
Facts in figures
2015 saw three Hollywood films cross the Rs 100 crore mark, despite blockbusters like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Baahubali and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. It was also the year where Fast & Furious 7 took the Indian box-office by storm and grossed Rs 172 crore (lifetime). Sushant Singh Rajput’s Detective Byomkesh Bakshi released the same day and got washed out (Rs 27.05 crore (lifetime business). Jurassic World (grossed Rs 152 crore in India) released on June 12 with Hamari Adhuri Kahani (Rs 41.23 crore worldwide) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (Rs 111 crore).
Growing competition
The first quarter of the year has passed and already seen the releases of Batman vs Superman (March 25), Kung Fu Panda 3 (April 1) and The Jungle Book. Film trade expert Girish Johar says, “Today there’s been a paradigm shift in the minds of Bollywood producers because of the box-office success of Hollywood films which are big brands or franchises like The Jungle Book (in its fourth week, the total collections now stand at Rs 158.92 crore), the Fast & The Furious series and the Batman trilogy. Bollywood producers are now thinking twice before releasing their films on the same day. All these films had a fabulous opening and much better than expected. In the last five years, the contribution of Hollywood films to the box-office has almost doubled —from 5-7 per cent it has increased to 10 per cent. So now, Bollywood producers are considering which big Hollywood films are coming before finalising their release dates. This year, we will see the release of films like Captain America, X-Men, Independence Day, Tom Hanks-Irrfan-starrer Inferno and the animation flick Angry Birds while 2017 will see the release of XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage, the next Pirates Of The Caribbean and Priyanka Chopra’s Baywatch, so yes the competition is growing. Earlier, it was about the three Khans, now producers have to contend with Hollywood films as well.”
ApprehensionsTrade analyst Amul Mohan adds that the worst sufferer from the Hollywood brigade was the John Abraham-starrer Rocky Handsome (lifetime business of Rs 25 crore) which released with Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice (four days BO collection was Rs 28.25 cr) on March 24 this year. “Yes, today Bollywood producers are re-thinking their release dates, especially if they are clashing with a franchise or a big movie. They are apprehensive about releasing at the same time as Hollywood films are eating majorly into their business. Hollywood films have a set market, a loyal audience and are time-based. Big franchises like the Fast & Furious series, Batman vs Superman are always going to trouble Indian producers. Earlier, Hollywood studios would get to release their films much later in India whereas now they get to release it just a week prior to their release in USA. The lifetime collections of The Jungle Book in India should cross over Rs 175 crore which is huge. It has definitely eaten into the collection of Fan which released a week later (April 15).”
The big crush
Mohan adds that the Hollywood BO boom in India has increased the confidence of Hollywood studios like Disney who released The Jungle Book recently and will release Captain America: Civil War this week. “One of India’s young stars has dubbed it in Hindi making it easier for them to push their product in Indian markets. It’s easy money to put for promotions of Hollywood films and give a good fight to Bollywood releases. This is a new trend in the last couple of years as Hollywood studios are so confident of their product that they are using the same marketing panache as Indian films. But what is scary in this scenario is the fate of small-budget films like One Night Stand, Traffic, and 1920 London which will release with Captain America. Small budget films can’t release with bigger Bollywood films and will end up getting crushed with big Hollywood releases. “
Producer Ramesh Taurani however, has a different perspective. He says, “The problem is that there are only 52 weeks in a year and a handful of holidays. And South and Bollywood films combined add up to a 150 films releases. As producers we don’t have any option to change our release dates. Also, not all Hollywood films do well in India except maybe a few big films, action dramas, superhero films and big franchises. I will not sacrifice a good date and will take on a Hollywood film. No Bollywood producer will sacrifice a holiday to avoid a clash with a Hollywood film. I don’t think Baahubali 2 should change their date. They will will score over Fast & Furious 8 in the South as they have a loyal market. The first part was a huge success so first preference will be given to Baahubali 2. Though some amount of loss will happen, both films will do business.”
BIG IN 2016
May 6: Captain America: Civil War
May 13: Angry Birds
May 20: X Men: Apocalypse
June 24: Independence Day: Resurgence
July 1: The Legend Of Tarzan
July 15: Ice Age: Collision Course, Ghostbusters
August 5: Suicide Squad
October 14: Inferno
December 16: Rogue One: Star Wars
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