This Article is From Mar 13, 2013

Bollywood's future strategy: aim for Rs 1,000 crore films

Bollywood's future strategy: aim for Rs 1,000 crore films

Director Karan Johar thinks Rs 1,000 crore films may be possible in a few years.

Highlights

  • Collection of Rs 100 crore at box office is the current benchmark of success for Bollywood films, but industry professionals think the envelope could be pushed further to Rs 1,000 crore.
  • "I think content, infrastructure and regulation are the three aspects that would help to reach the mark of Rs 1,000 crore. With these things in place this mark can be achieved.
  • "The content of the film should be such that it should reach the audience; in terms of infrastructure, number of screens and ticket prices need to be increased, and something should be done on entertainment tax as it eats away a portion of the business," said Siddharth Roy Kapur, MD, Studios, Disney UTV.
  • He was speaking at panel discussion on 'Planning and making a Rs 1,000-crore blockbuster' at 'FICCI Frames' event today.
  • "Hollywood films like Avatar, Avengers get released across the world in various languages and thereby leading to more business. I think we must also make something that will reach out to wider audience and despite the film being in another language people should be able see it," he said.
  • "A Hollywood film gets released in approximately 9,000 to 10,000 screens. We don't get that many screens. The number of screens should be increased," said Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star India.
  • "The director of Life of Pi, Ang Lee, took approximately four years or so to make this film, which won quite a few awards at Oscars. But here in India filmmakers come up with films every four-six months. This somewhere puts a question mark on the content and quality," he added.
  • Vikram Malhotra, CEO of Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, said investment should be made at the "script level". "I think director needs to invest time at script level. Also, piracy is an issue that needs to be curbed," he said.
  • Karan Johar, who moderated the discussion, said there could not be a set genre for making a Rs 1,000 crore film.
  • "3 Idiots was a feel-good film, it highlighted the issue of education in a very nice way and that is something worked in its favor. The film did a phenomenal business at the box office.
  • "We have other films like Sholay, which was a masala entertainer and Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, a family film, which was liked a lot by the audience. There is no science as to which genre will do well. The subject should be universal, so that the all kinds of audience can watch it," Karan Johar said.
  • "It is an aspiration to make Rs 1,000 crore film and for that, content, more number of screens, government regulations, are required. Today it is not possible to achieve that mark of Rs 1,000 crore, but may be after few years it would be. India has a huge film-going market," Karan Johar added.
Mumbai: Collection of Rs 100 crore at boxoffice is the current benchmark of success for Bollywoodfilms, but industry professionals think the envelope could bepushed further to Rs 1,000 crore.

"I think content, infrastructure and regulation are thethree aspects that would help to reach the mark of Rs 1,000crore. With these things in place this mark can be achieved.

"The content of the film should be such that it shouldreach the audience; in terms of infrastructure, number ofscreens and ticket prices need to be increased, and somethingshould be done on entertainment tax as it eats away a portionof the business," said Siddharth Roy Kapur, MD, Studios,Disney UTV.

He was speaking at panel discussion on 'Planning andmaking a Rs 1,000-crore blockbuster' at 'FICCI Frames' eventtoday.

"Hollywood films like Avatar, Avengers get releasedacross the world in various languages and thereby leading tomore business. I think we must also make something that willreach out to wider audience and despite the film being inanother language people should be able see it," he said.

"A Hollywood film gets released in approximately 9,000 to10,000 screens. We don't get that many screens. The number ofscreens should be increased," said Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox StarIndia.

"The director of Life of Pi, Ang Lee, tookapproximately four years or so to make this film, which wonquite a few awards at Oscars. But here in India filmmakerscome up with films every four-six months. This somewhere putsa question mark on the content and quality," he added.

Vikram Malhotra, CEO of Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, saidinvestment should be made at the "script level". "I thinkdirector needs to invest time at script level. Also, piracy isan issue that needs to be curbed," he said.

Karan Johar, who moderated the discussion, said therecould not be a set genre for making a Rs 1,000 crore film.

"3 Idiots was a feel-good film, it highlighted theissue of education in a very nice way and that is somethingworked in its favor. The film did a phenomenal business at thebox office.

"We have other films like Sholay, which was a masalaentertainer and Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, a family film, which wasliked a lot by the audience. There is no science as to whichgenre will do well. The subject should be universal, so thatthe all kinds of audience can watch it," Karan Johar said.

"It is an aspiration to make Rs 1,000 crore film and forthat, content, more number of screens, government regulations,are required. Today it is not possible to achieve that mark ofRs 1,000 crore, but may be after few years it would be. Indiahas a huge film-going market," Karan Johar added.
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