Despite the suggestion of Salman Khan keeping Bharat ticket rates to the minimum, city theatres hike fares by an average 20 per cent
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; June 3, 2019)

A recent report suggesting that Salman Khan had refrained from hiking the ticket price of his Eid release, Bharat, seemed to be much in sync with the actor's traditional practice of sweeping in at eleventh hour with a welcome announcement. But, a lot seems to have been lost in translation, with ticket prices across the city indicating that the drama will be priced at a higher rate than usual.

At odds with rumours that the minimal fare was touted to be bhai's eidi to his followers, prices at select cinema houses seem to have been hiked by an average 20 per cent. Mahim's Citylight cinema, which sold tickets of recent releases De De Pyaar De and India's Most Wanted at Rs 200, has set the Ali Abbas Zafar-directed venture at a rate of Rs 250. At Lower Parel's PVR Luxe, theatre owners are drawing Rs 1,800 per ticket. Prices at Juhu and Wadala theatres too sit at an increased fare.

Trade expert Amod Mehra suggests that the limited hype surrounding the film has edged producers to up the per-ticket fare. "Bharat will see a five-day opening weekend. The producers want to take advantage of it, especially because the buzz isn't strong. Also, an aim to break previous box-office records is always a reason to increase prices," he says. As cinephiles wriggle their way into the festive week today, Mehra admits that advance bookings for the film don't look promising, just yet. "I hope it picks up over the next two days. With big-ticket films not performing well enough, the audience has grown cautious."

At odds with Mehra's stance, trade expert Amul Mohan isn't bothered by the rates. He says that as far as a film's release goes, the actor's word isn't binding. "The distributors and exhibitors are actually aware of the pricing." Producer Atul Agnihotri says he wasn't aware of the development. "I can only get clarity after speaking to [distributor] Anil Thadani."

Thadani, on his part, reiterates that upping prices during festive periods is a regular practice.

A glass of soft drink for Rs 240, a bucket of regular popcorn for Rs 240, and two samosas for Rs 95. Welcome to fleeceland

Days after a Mirror test drive revealed that multiplexes were violating a govt rule by not allowing people to bring food from outside, we highlight the massive overpricing of food items at the theatres
MUMBAI MIRROR (August 13, 2018)


Days after this paper exposed how multiplexes are hiding behind the lack-of-clarity excuse to bar moviegoers from carrying food inside (‘Now showing: Confusion’, August 8), we carried out another test drive, this time on the prices of food and beverages. The results will leave you seething.

At a Lower Parel multiplex (see above), items as basic as a regular tub of popcorn and a glass of soft drink were priced over 500 per cent more than what they cost outside a cinema theatre — more than the price of the movie ticket itself.

And the overpriced food did little to enhance the movie-going experience, as showed by a Borivali theatre. A Ghatkopar East multiplex claimed to have reduced prices “by a big margin” since the debate over unaffordable food began raging, but catching a movie there could still burn a hole in patrons’ pockets.

The test drive came days after the state government, after announcing during the monsoon session of the legislature that moviegoers were free to carry food into multiplexes from August 1, shot itself in the foot by telling the Bombay High Court — which is hearing a public interest litigation on the matter — that such a move could pose a security risk. The HC demanded an explanation from the state government on that claim.

“What security concern can be caused by food inside theatres? People are not prohibited from carrying food to any other public place besides cinema halls. If people can be permitted to carry home food inside the aircraft then why not to theatres?” the bench had sought to know.

Following the state government’s U-turn on the issue, Ravindra Chavan, minister of state for food and civil supplies, clarified with Mirror last week that there was “no ambiguity” and multiplexes cannot prevent anyone from bringing food from outside.


Carnival Cinemas, Borivali: Popcorn costlier than cooked food
A large tub of popcorn (Rs 260) was the most expensive item at the food counter, steeper than cooked dishes such as chicken momos and rolls. The cheapest popcorn, that too hot and fresh out of the machine, that this reporter has come across comes in a small packet at Churchgate station for Rs 7. The caramel popcorn at the theatre did not skimp on caramel, but the cheese popcorn was almost bland, with no clear taste of cheese coming through.

A large cup (650 ml) of a soft drink cost Rs 170, which can easily come under Rs 50 outside.

In the fast food category, cheesy nachos with Mexican salsa and topped with French fries was the costliest at Rs 230. Both the quantity and the taste were satisfactory. A plate of samosa, which cost Rs 90, was fresh and tasty, but there are better samosas for far less outside.

The experience was partially worth the cost, considering that food and tickets for two can set your back by Rs 1,000. This was the same multiplex where the reporter was allowed to carry food in during the first test drive, but a Mirror staffer was stopped on Saturday.

AUG 11, Noon
TICKET PRICE: Rs 150
POPCORN AND SAMOSA: Rs 350
COST OUTSIDE: LESS THAN Rs 100


R Odeon Mall, Ghatkopar East: Slashed by ‘big margin’, yet not as afordable
A large cup (900 ml) of soft drink came for Rs 150. For a large tub of caramel and cheese popcorn, one will have to shell out another Rs 180. Outside, one has to pay only Rs 50 for beverage and Rs 60-70 for popcorn. Neither of them was worth the price. The carbonated drink tastes the same anywhere, and although the popcorn was fresh, one can get the same outside for half the price. Tarun Devnani, duty manager of the multiplex, said they reduced prices “by a big margin” recently. The mega tub (170 gm) of plain popcorn, which earlier cost Rs 330, is now around Rs 200 on weekdays, and Rs 250 on weekends and after 6 pm. “They become even cheaper during ‘happy hours’. We also have the facility of booking snacks online, which has special combos and offers.”

Aug 11, 5.25 PM
TICKET PRICE: Rs 225
POPCORN AND SOFT DRINK: Rs 330
COST OUTSIDE: Rs 120
Prices of other items: Packet of banana chips: Rs 60; veg puff: Rs 70; veg burger: Rs 130, 2 samosas: Rs 80; French fries: Rs 140; veg sandwich: Rs 130


INOX CR2 Mall, Nariman Point: Salty sandwich, costliest water 
Since this reporter went for the last show of the day, samosas and burgers were not available. There was a single samosa on display, but the staff was candid and kind enough to admit that it had gone bad. The last vada pav (Rs 140) was up for grabs, but customers who had purchased one before didn’t like it. From the little variety, a bottle of water (Rs 60 — the most expensive water on offer), a tub of caramel popcorn (Rs 280) and a paneer sandwich (Rs 210) was the safest bet. The same come at Rs 20 for a water bottle, Rs 100 for popcorn, and Rs 50 for a sandwich outside. The popcorn was good but the price left a bad taste in the mouth. The salty sandwich was nothing to write about. If these items were an indication of what is offered through the day, skip the food.

Aug 11, 10.45 PM
TICKET PRICE: Rs 430
WATER BOTTLE, POPCORN AND SANDWICH: Rs 550
COST OUTSIDE 170

Metro INOX, Marine Lines: Where chaat is six times costlier
During the interval, this reporter bought bhel puri, which cost Rs 150. Outside the theatre, the same can be bought for just Rs 25. A small tub of sukha bhel was also priced at Rs 150, 10 times more than what it costs elsewhere. In fact, all chaat items were overpriced, ranging from Rs 150-200.

A plate of two samosas — rather bland given the steep price — cost Rs 100, twice the price at which it’s available outside. A large turn of cheese popcorn went for Rs 280, in contrast to Rs 40 outside. That translates to a hike of 500 per cent. This reporter, too, ended up paying more for food items than the ticket, and none of it made it a worthwhile movie-going experience.

Aug 11, 7.45 PM
TICKET PRICE: Rs 350
BHEL PURI, 2 SAMOSAS AND POPCORN: Rs 530
COST OUTSIDE: Rs 115


PVR Phoenix, Lower Parel
A no-frills tub of regular popcorn (55 gm) costs Rs 240. One can buy the same outside for just Rs 40. That’s a 500 per cent hike, and this was just plain salted popcorn. A large cheese caramel popcorn costs Rs 500.

A glass of soft drink (600 ml) was charged at Rs 240. A 500 ml bottle of the same costs Rs 40 outside. For the price this correspondent paid, he could have bought 3 litres of the same soft drink outside. Again, this is a 500 per cent hike.

Then came the humble samosa. A plate of two samosas cost Rs 95; outside the mall, one can get the same for Rs 40 a plate. The taste was no different from what one gets outside. Together, the soft drink, samosas and popcorn cost more than the ticket itself. The food is not worth the price. Given a choice, take your own chow.

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 3, 2014)

Farooq Shaikh’s last release, Club 60, has re-opened in a noon show at PVR, Lower Parel, and in a theatre belonging to the same chain in Delhi as a tribute to the actor who passed away last Friday in Dubai. “Given that there are three new films flagging off this week, we could only go for a limited release. It was a heart-felt decision,” says Shalu Sabbarwal, vice president, marketing.

Sanjay Tripathy, the director, points out that his film which opened with three daily shows on December 6, was in the theatres till Dhoom 3 upstaged it. “Before word-of-mouth could spread, its two-week theatrical run was over. We’d been getting a lot of enquires which multiplied following Farooq saab’s untimely end, so I asked my distributor if he could get a theatre to agree to a limited second run as a gesture of goodwill since the home video sales are still bring negotiated,” he says.

Sanjay met Farooq for the first time for a documentary on earthquakes. He then played a sutradhar in one of Sanjay’s TV shows and one day, while returning home, he sounded the actor out on Club 60. “He liked the script and suggested Sarika’s name in the role of his wife, urging me to watch Parzania,” says Sanjay.

He recalls the actor warning him that they had to be really careful with his content-driven, performance-oriented film since they couldn’t rely on big names, familiar faces and item numbers to cover up any mistakes. “His favourite saying was, ‘Safed kapde pe daag jaldi nazar aata hai,’” says the filmmaker.

Farooque played Dr Tareeq Sheikh, a neuro-surgeon suffering from acute depression after the death of his only son. Though Sanjay insists Farooq was perfectly cast despite the fact that he was always cheerful on the sets, sharing his love for food, and sweets in particular, the actor admitted to him half-way through the film that he’d have loved to play Raghubir Yadav’s character Manu bhai.

Sanjay wanted him for his next film, Escape To Nowhere, and wanted him to go through former security chief of RAW, Amar Bhushan’s book on which it was based. “But last Saturday I woke up at 6.20 am to a missed called from Satish Shah and a message that read RIP Farooque Shaikh,” he sighs. “Club 60 has lost its most lively member.”

MEANWHILE...
In the next six days, leading directors who had worked with Farooq Sheikh will come together on a common platform to reminisce about their experiences with him. The line-up includes M S Sathyu (Garam Hawa), Raman Kumar (Saath Saath), Dibakar Banerjee (Shanghai), Ketan Mehta (Maya Memsaab), Sai Paranjpe (Chashme Buddoor), Muzzafar Ali (Umrao Jaan), Sagar Sarhadi (Bazaar), Sanjay Puran Singh (Lahore) and Ayan Mukerji (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani). The discussion will be recorded and hosted in the western suburbs, either at the Iskcon auditorium or the Bhavan's College. The session is the brainchild of Ashoke Pandit, President of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association. Deepti Naval, who cut short her trip to Himachal Pradesh to attend Farooq’s last rites, is lending a helping hand. She said, “Ashoke has informed me. But they will have to do it before January 9. Because I have to go back to Himachal.” Farooq and Deepti have worked in eight films together and Listen Amaiya, which released last year, reunited them on screen after 28 years. “Without Deepti, the tribute will be incomplete. So we will all meet up before January 9,” said Pandit.
    —Vickey Lalwani