Mumbai, September 25: Salman starrer makes 70 per cent more business in single screens than multiplexes in its first week!
Boney Kapoor’s latest release, WANTED, seems to herald the return of single screen theatres in Mumbai. While figures were too premature to be given for single screens alone, one of the trade analysts, said WANTED did business of approximately Rs 35 to Rs 38 crore across India in just a week.
The latest trade figures indicate that WANTED has 70 per cent more business than multiplexes, a view echoed by exhibitors and trade experts across Mumbai.
Salman’s WANTED beats Aamir-Asin starrer GHAJINI!
Said another trade source, ”Single screen theatres have been historically known to cater to testosterone boosting movies – action dramas. WANTED is exactly that kind of film. Then you have the price of the tickets, approximately less than half that of multiplexes and the advantage of watching it on a 70mm screen. Quite naturally, audiences will choose single screens over multiplexes.”
Yet, single screens have been caught unawares. A single screen theatre in Govandi had to paint a ‘Housefull’ board because they didn’t have one. In fact, they did not need one for many years. Theatres like Liberty and New Empire in Mumbai also had to dig out the ‘Housefull’ board from their godowns where it was gathering dust for years. In Panvel, there was a riot during the film’s release and police had to be called in.
Ever since multiplexes first hit the city, moviegoers switched loyalties despite the higher ticket price for the ambience they offered. As a result of dwindling footfalls and heavy maintenance fees, many single screens have shut shop or have been demolished – Minerva, Novelty, Bahar and Lido, among others. Or they have given way to multiplexes – Sterling, Metro, Apsara, Cinemax Sion.
—Agencies