Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; August 15, 2020)

Every Independence Day, movie buffs head to theatres to watch the latest releases. That’s why films released on I-Day have seen 80-90% occupancy. In the last 15-20 years, holiday weekends at the box office have usually been occupied by at least one major release, most often a patriotic film. However, this year, as cinemas remain shut due to the Coronavirus pandemic, exhibitors and distributors hope that by Diwali or the next national holiday, their businesses can resume.


INDEPENDENCE DAY RELEASES ENCASH EXTENDED WEEKEND
Advance bookings for I-Day releases, extended weekend and at least 75-80% occupancy are among the reasons why I-Day is one of the most profitable weekends for filmmakers. In the last two decades, from Chak De! India to Aarakshan, Ek Tha Tiger, Singham Returns to last year’s Batla House and Mission Mangal, several major films have released on or around Independence Day. Shaaminder Mallik, a distributor, says, “It’s not just one day, but the whole week between August 11-18 that films are scheduled, to benefit from the holiday. In fact, most of these releases perform well at the box office and have good collections.”

Usually, the slots for I-Day releases are booked a year in advance, with filmmakers and actors announcing the project and the release date. John Abraham, whose film Batla House released on Independence Day last year, said in a November 2019 interview that he feels the day belongs to him. Announcing his next, Attack, which was to be released on August 14, 2020, John had said, “I’ve come to believe that the day belongs to me, not just because it’s a national holiday, but also for the feeling it brings forth. Attack is an apt I-Day release, patriotic without being jingoistic.”


‘I-DAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN BIG FOR CINEMAS’
At a panel discussion on the reopening of cinemas in April, filmmaker Nikkhil Advani had said that he was optimistic that cinemas will reopen by August 15. Last month, before the announcement of Unlock 3.0, when we spoke to exhibitors, they, too, said they were expecting to reopen before I-Day. But that did not happen.

Akshaye Rathi, the Director of Saroj Cinemas, says, “August 15 is one of the most exciting release slots after Diwali. All of us in the film trade are missing the fire that we would usually witness on the I-Day weekend. It’s unfortunate that we are shut this year, but hopefully, that will change soon.”

Yogesh Raizada, Corporate Head, Wave Cinemas, says, “While August 15 is reserved for a single major release, last year, we had two movies — Batla House and Mission Mangal. I’ve been in this business for almost 30 years, and I remember that I-Day has always been a big day for cinemas. Every year, we would have over 80-90% bookings for I-Day. And with anticipated releases, such as a Salman Khan or an Akshay Kumar film, we would have 60-70% advance bookings. This year is a historic low for the industry, as theatres have never been shut on I-Day in the last 25-30 years.”

EXHIBITORS UNSURE IF BUSINESS WILL PICK UP BEFORE THE NEXT NATIONAL HOLIDAY
Exhibitors say that even if cinemas reopen, they are “unsure if they will be housefull even during the next national holiday.” They are not very hopeful about Diwali, while some are even unsure if business will pick up by January 26, 2021. Tinku Singh, Group President, SRS Cinemas, says, “Ticket bookings for I-Day releases are usually high because of the holiday. And, with Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami falling around August 15 every year, an I-Day release would usually mean a weekend release. Cinemas have special pricing for such profitable weekends, but this year, the box office has been shut. Back in April-May, we didn’t expect that we won’t be operational even in August. Now, I don’t know if we’ll even reopen by January 26 next year.”

With inputs from Rachana Dubey

While moviegoers complain that the abrupt intervals ruin the viewing experience, cinemas say breaks are essential for F&B business as well as for viewers’ comfort
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; January 23, 2020)

Last Friday, the Oscar-nominated film 1917, which has won three Golden Globes including the award for best picture, was released in India. Among many excited fans was filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane, who took to social media to urge the audience to watch the “beautiful film”, but he also appealed to the cinema halls to screen the film without an interval, in order to not ruin the movie-watching experience.

1917 was filmed to look like a continuous shot, but like most Hollywood releases in India, the film has an abrupt interval. In the west, films mostly don’t have intervals, but in India, cinemas insert an intermission, dividing the film into two parts.

When we spoke to cinemas, they told us that intervals are important from the business perspective of cinema halls as well as viewers’ convenience perspective.

Removing intervals is a drastic loss, revenue-wise: Cinemas
Tinku Singh, Group President, SRS Cinemas (a theatre chain in North India), says, “It is no secret that cinemas make the biggest chunk of profit from F&B sales, and not movie tickets. Hence, removing intervals will lead to revenue losses. So, we go ahead with our usual practice of having intermissions in films. Which film should have a break and which shouldn’t, how audience will react to no breaks – all these issues will have to be discussed if cinemas ever decide to do away with intervals. Besides, even Hollywood films are getting longer now, with the run time often exceeding two hours.”

A distributor, who’s also a member of the Motion Pictures Association, says, “When the 95-minutes-long Dhobi Ghat (2011) was released without an interval, this issue as to why Hollywood films should have intervals was discussed. But cinemas opposed the idea of removing intervals. The fact is that intervals can’t be done away with because it clearly means further losses for the cinemas, which are already not earning huge profits.”

‘EVEN DIALOGUES ARE ABRUPTLY CUT TO INSERT AN INTERVAL’
While most Hindi and other Indian language films are created in a format having two halves, it’s not the case with most Hollywood films. So, the inserted breaks often obstruct the flow of the film. Moviegoers have complained that cinema halls cut a scene or even a dialogue in the middle to announce an interval, which completely spoils the movie watching experience. Rajendra Singh Jyala, Chief Programming Officer at INOX Leisure Limited, says, “Unfortunately, we don’t get Hollywood films in advance to decide where to insert an interval. Say a Hollywood film is two hours long, so we cut it at an hour. However, after the first show, if we see that the interval is interrupting a dialogue or an important scene, then we make modifications and insert an interval a few minutes before or after.”

However, not all halls correct the practice and intervals continue to be abrupt, inconveniencing the audience. But when asked if they are making moviegoers unhappy by including these breaks, theatres say that while some people may have an issue, there are many who will object if they decide to do away with intervals.

We reached out to PVR Cinemas, Carnival Cinemas, Wave Cinemas and Cinepolis, but we had no response from them till the time of going to press

‘INTERVALS ARE INSERTED FOR MOVIEGOERS’ CONVENIENCE’
Not just in 1917, recent big releases like the multi-starrer Bombshell and Tom Hank’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood, have intervals cropping up at abrupt moments.

Rajendra Singh Jayala adds, “We insert intervals for the convenience of the audience. In the past, there have been a few instances when we did screen a few Hollywood films without an interval. These films were around 1 hour 20 minutes long, but those are rare instances. Otherwise, we screen all Hollywood films with an interval. It is for the convenience of the audience. People need a break to buy popcorn or to freshen up. In Indian cinema, we have a tradition of intervals. We have continued with the tradition of intervals for Hollywood films too.”

‘REMOVING INTERVALS MEANS REVENUE LOSS FOR CINEMAS’
If you are one of those moviegoers who don’t want cinemas to ruin your viewing experience by abruptly cutting a film midway for an interval, the bad news is that cinemas are not going to do away with intervals any time soon because that spells revenue loss.

WE DON’T NEED INTERVALS: MOVIEGOERS
-Intervals break the continuity of Hollywood films
-Inserting an interval where none is intended ruins the cinematic experience
-Intervals cut a dialogue abruptly

IF THERE ARE NO POPCORN BREAKS, PROFITS WILL BE AFFECTED: CINEMAS
-Moviegoers need a break to buy popcorn and to freshen up
-Removing intervals from Hollywood films will impact the F&B business and will lead to overall revenue loss for theatres
-Even Hollywood films are getting lengthier now

LATEST HOLLYWOOD FILMS WITH ABRUPT INTERVALS INCLUDE:
-1917
-Bombshell
-A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood
-Knives Out

Baahubali: The Conclusion, which crushed several box office records, has hit a roadblock of sorts, albeit a minor one. Within days of release, the film has been leaked online. Producers and exhibitors believe that it won't be hit too hard since the film is all about the big screen experience
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 7, 2017)

As the market for Hollywood films grows in India, releasing big-ticket films here before the West prevents clashes with Bollywood releases and leads to better revenues
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2016)