Why limit ourselves to the '1000 crore' club, asks KJo

Film-maker feels there is no fixed formula to achieve this mark.

MUMBAI: The INR10 billion mark for a blockbuster may seem like a distant dream right now, but it is not impossible, says film-maker Karan Johar.

“The figure of INR10 billion is aspirational at the moment. It looks like a dream, but we are not far from achieving it. I feel that we are limiting ourselves with the INR10 billion mark,” Johar said.

He was talking to reporters post moderating a session “Planning and making a Rs1,000 crore [INR10 billion] blockbuster” on the second day of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Frames, an illustrious media and entertainment event.

However, Johar candidly admitted that there is no fixed formula to achieve it.

“3 Idiots did so well – it had a subject based on education. It was a feel good movie. Sholay was a masala film and Hum Aapke Hain Koun! was a family film. So you can’t pick a specific theme,” he said. “You need to make a good film, which is universal. And there is no science to pick a theme.”

The session had panelists such as Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Entertainment; Vijay Singh, CEO of Fox Star India; Siddharth Roy Kapoor, MD of Disney UTV Studios; Ajay Bijli, MD at PVR; and Vikram Malhotra, COO at Viacom.

All of them pointed out various problems that need to be tackled to fulfill the INR10 billion dreams.

Kapoor pointed out that there aren’t sufficient screens in the country.

“The maximum width is 3000 to 3500 screens – places like Uttar Pradesh, most populated state in the country, has just 150 screens and Bihar has 300 screens. We are an under-screened market,” said Kapoor.

“Also, there is a cap on ticket prices in the south. The entertainment tax is also huge. If we make a universal blockbuster like it was made in the ‘80s and ‘90s, then this INR10 billion might be possible,” he added.

Bijli agreed to this and said multiplexes needs to perforate in untapped areas to help achieve the goal.

“Multiplexes need to perforate into other areas and enhance cinema experience. Movies need to be made with a higher appeal and if cinemas continue to grow like this, then tweaking the ticket prices, change in the entertainment tax and reducing piracy can help achieve this goal,” he said.

The number of screens needs to go up by a multiple of three, said Singh.

“Ang Lee took four years for his film Life of Pi. We need to have an approach to film-making that ensures that a lot is being invested in a film. Directors want to make a film every four to six months, then how can you deliver a blockbuster?,” Singh added.

Movie watching should be promoted as a quality experience, insists Foster from IMAX.

“The focus should be that it has to be a quality version. You need to justify to someone as to why you want them to leave the comfort of their homes, travel through traffic and come watch a film,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2013.                

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