Nueplex asks Sanam Saeed to take poor promotion matter up with producers, distributors
The Nueplex Cinemas team has responded to actor Sanam Saeed after the latter expressed disappointment over the lack of promotional material for her latest film Ishrat Made in China displayed at one of the cinema’s outlets in Karachi. The team asserted that providing posters and other promotional material was “the responsibility of the distributor/producer” and that despite the low rate of occupancy for Ishrat Made in China, the cinema continued to play the film on two dedicated screens throughout the opening weekend.
The statement started off congratulating Saeed on her film, continuing to explain that better viewership for the film leads to better business for the cinema. It added, “We placed standees and posters prominently as soon as they were received. Providing those artworks is the responsibility of the distributor/producer. Hence, the issue may be better addressed if it is taken up with them.”
The Nueplex team shared that occupancy for the film was 11.89% at the Rashid Minhas Road outlet, adding, “That was as disappointing for us as, we are sure, it was for you. Despite the numbers, we continued to showcase the film over the entire weekend on dedicated screens.” The statement went on to urge Saeed to take up the matter with the distributor to get to the bottom of the issue.
The actor had written in a tweet, “A little disappointed in Nueplex cinemas for not putting up any of our film posters, especially on Rashid Minhas Road. People will always come to see superhero films. They have a long legacy behind them. Pakistani films need cinemas' support. JB Films, please see to it.”
— Sanam Saeed (@sanammodysaeed) March 7, 2022
Other films that are currently playing at the cinema include Robert Pattison’s latest film The Batman. Jamil Baig was not available to The Express Tribune for comment, while Director Marketing and Programming at the cinema Kamran Yar Khan did not respond.
Ishrat Made in China was released across Pakistan on March 4. Featuring Saeed and Mohib Mirza in the leading roles, the film also stars Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY) in his debut performance as the film’s main villain. It has been directed by Mirza himself, with Ahsan Raza Firdausi serving as the writer and R. Irfan Sadiq and Farheen Mirza Sadiq serving as executive producers.