Why despite a Jungle Book, the US film industry doesn’t pose a real threat to Bollywood just yet
DNA (May 17, 2016)

‘Hollywood is beating Bollywood’. ‘Bollywood would be finished just like European cinema’. ‘Indian filmmakers need to pull up their socks’. ‘Star system is set to end sooner than later’. These are some of the statements, or rather ‘panic calls’, that are being heard of late.

The Jungle Book, a well-deserved success that it is, triggered it all. Agreed that it has already crossed Rs 175 crore and done more than double the business of Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan (this was the time when the alarm bells started ringing first). However, is that a reason good enough to drop the anchor?

“No,” says a prominent exhibitor, “You can’t judge an entire industry by the success or failure of a film. In all fairness and good credit to The Jungle Book, it was still as Indian a film as it can be. It was set in Indian milieu, had Indian characters and the best of it all, was dubbed by Indian celebrities. Yes, it has done huge business but half of it is coming from the dubbed versions.”

This can be evidenced from the fact that the second best Hollywood release in India is Captain America: Civil War and that is looking at a lifetime of around `Rs 55 crore. That’s a huge way off from The Jungle Book.

“Deadpool didn’t even take an opening, despite all the hype. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opened well, but then fizzled. Kung Fu Panda 3 did reasonable business due to franchise recall, and that’s about it,” informs a trade expert, “So, we basically have five films doing decent to extraordinary business in five months. It is just that the phenomenal success of The Jungle Book, has ended up building a perception that Hollywood is here to rule. It is like Slumdog Millionaire doing well in the West and making one believe that Indian films are there to rule in overseas too. That never happened, right?”

This can be pretty much evidenced from the fact that despite a stellar cast (Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman) the big ticket Hollywood release London Has Fallen didn’t even open well in India. Zootopia, the highest grossing Hollywood film globally this year, was just about fair, too.

“There is junk made in Bollywood but then same is the case with Hollywood too. Do you know that more than 50 notable films have released in the West as well since the beginning of the year? On the other hand we are talking about only a handful of films that have made some sort of impact in India,” says a senior member of the Bollywood film fraternity, “I can bet that you won’t be able to name even 10 other prominent Hollywood films. See, we have a habit of pressing the panic button for no rhyme or reason. Also, it gives media people like you some spicy headlines. We are here to stay and you will see that.”

This could well be true as the only big ticket films of 2016 that one can count are X-Men: Apocalypse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Independence Day: Resurgence, The Legend of Tarzan, Ice Age: Collision Course, Jason Bourne, Inferno and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. However, Bollywood also has its own biggies like Housefull 3, Sultan, Dishoom, Rustom, Mohenjo Daro, MS Dhoni, Shivaay, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Befikre and Dangal in the offering, all of which are expected to sail past the Rs 100 crore mark quite comfortably.

Well, may the best industry win!

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

Kung Fu Panda 3 is a funny and an enriching film, like its predecessors and the new characters add to the fun. The villain is scarier than the earlier baddies and this is also what keeps the interest going. One of the highpoints of the film is Mr Ping's association with Li Shan. At places however, the interest level and even the humour quotient dips. Part 1 still remains the best part of the series. The finale however is unexpected and quite entertaining. A must watch for the entire family and obviously, for the lovers of Kung Fu Panda series!

My rating - *** ½ out of 5!