DNA (September 3, 2016)

A poorly researched and ill-informed article which appeared online and claims film studios in India are shutting down, has the film industry up in arms. While some studios have indeed decided to stop production for a while, it is to review and access the situation, rather than shut shop. Says a trade analyst, “In fact, studios are finally understanding the business and changing the way they are working. While some studios have killed the market by offering actors crazy amounts of money, and grabbing over-priced films lest they lose their business, most like Sony are making one film a year and controlling the budgets of their films.” Says an industry insider, “The article claims that the studio took on Piku but had no faith in the film. Why would Sneha Rajani, who heads the studio make a film, she had no faith in? In fact when she began the film, she declared that they would make at least Rs 100 crore worldwide. And they crossed that amount.” Meanwhile Eros too hasn’t shut shop. While there has been news of Disney stopping production in India, they will continue to have a presence here. And Siddharth Roy Kapur is soon going to make an announcement of where he is going. Balaji Motion Pictures too is not shutting shop. They are going ahead with Half Girlfriend which is on the floors and Veere Di Wedding which starts next year. Don’t write off the studios just yet.