Multiplexes not to budge to producers, distributors' demand

Bollywood producers and distributors have demanded a 50 percent share in the profits, failing which they would stop the release of films from April 3, 2009. A press conference was held at a suburban club in Mumbai where multiplex owners met with film producers and distributors to listen to their side of the story. However the multiplex owners are in no mood to relent to the fixe revenue sharing model. Owners are thinking of a performance linked revenue system.

Multiplex owners who share the business risk along with distributors, say that they are ready to pay more to distributors and producers provided the content is good enough. Shravan Shroff of Shrinagar Films states

," Don't give us content like Chandni Chowk to China and Heroes and expect us to run the film only because a Salman Khan gets upset. We are here to sell tickets and not run empty cinema houses". Producers like Mukesh Bhatt have made it clear that they will not release films after April 3 in multiplexes. He adds, "We will start promoting films on single screens." On the other hand, multiplex owners are toying around with other lucrative options. One of them mentions "We are in the business of movies but we are open to other content like IPL".