No headway in producer, multiplex talks

No headway in producer, multiplex talks
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A Bollywood film producers and multiplex owners meeting on Tuesday ended in a deadlock over revenue sharing row.

The two parties failed to reach a mutual understanding over the rationalisation of revenue sharing of films, according to industry insiders.

The issue started in February when producers demanded a 50 percent revenue share for all films. The multiplexes refused the demand but in later talks agreed to give 50, 40 and 30 percent revenue during subsequent weeks after the release day.

The United Producers and Distributors Forum (UPDF) declared early March not to push any new film in multiplexes April 4 onwards.

"The talks have stalled as multiplex (owners) are not willing to come up with more than the 50-40-30 ratio and are rigid on their stand. We are now formalising a plan to release all new films in single screens and independent multiplexes across the country," Mukesh Bhatt, the spokesperson for UPDF, told us over phone from Mumbai.

"We will even come out with the plan in the next 15 days," he added.

An industry insider, who was present at the meeting, said: "Multiplexes are not willing to budge. Despite that, we (producers-distributors) are willing to come down from 50 percent.

"They (multiplex owner) said the 50-40-30 weekly ratio is the best they can do and didn't come up... we are now not going to reschedule any meets," said the insider, pleading anonymity.