I think bollywood should worry about this. In the rest of the world, they have a huge stranglehold on other nations screens. In Britain, they control the distribution business, most US Distributors would make a preference to US Major blockbusters rather than UK films. The cinemas (UCI & Warner Village) are American owned as well. If bollywood continues to make rubbish films, the consumer might want to see hollywood films as an alternative, and leave bollywood being bankrupt.
I think Indian film-makers and scriptwriters should damn well get their act together the major players like Viacom / Time Warner / News Corp. might take over the Indian cinemas, distribution and production companies. This will mean most of the money will go to the Americans. It will not contribute to India's GDP. Take for example the James Bond franchises, most of the money goes to the studios. Also Chicken Run, which was a british film , but the money went to the Americans.
If Bollywood really tried, they can make films that are global. I saw this Brazilian film, it was called "City of God", but it has universal issues about gang violence, about the slums where people live. It is has no stars, no famous director. It was well-received in film festivals and won numerous awards. It also had great reviews and it has so far grossed £1.6million in the UK box office in UK. It was made on a low budget than most hugely expensive bollywood movies like Devdas. A re-make that is totally unnecessary
Devdas tells me what is wrong with Indian cinema. Anyway that's another issue.
As per the ticket costs compared with US and India, you should not go by dollar conversion, in that case, one may get a better lunch for Rs.25/- in India, but you need minimum 6$ in US which is Rs.300/-, I think Manjrekar should start looking at the local sentiments and lifestyle to improve the business..
Bollywood's worry over the increasing exposure to Hollywood is not market share. After all Hollywood can never be staple for Indian moviegoers. What must be worrying our Bollywood producers and writers is how easily they will get exposed. Over the past several years, Bollywood has simply served as a 'translator' of Hollywood creativity which will not work if more Hollywood films are released and sooner than before.
On the other hand, it might force them to come out with original scripts and ideas.
Your article says : "While the minimum ticket price in the US is $1, in India, the average price is Rs 23, which is less than half the US rate," he adds."
I would like to know where in the US can one watch a movie in a theatre for $1.
RE:Re: Hollywood's piece of cake
by Rajan on Feb 06, 2003 06:50 PM
Many of the suburbs (example west of Chicago) have 'one-dollar theater' where even the pop-corn and drinks are priced cheaply. That said, the theatres are pretty old - poor screenlight and not-that-comfortable seats are immediately noticable; more importantly, the movies played will be at least three-four months old.
