MUMBAI: Even as talks are on between the producers and multiplex owners over the revenue sharing issue, multiplex operators believe that the negotiation process between the two parties will start gaining momentum only during the fag-end of the IPL season.

The bipartite dialogue is currently moving at a snail‘s pace because producers are in no hurry to release their films during the course of the popular Twenty20 tourney, is the common verdict floating across the multiplex fraternity.

“Similar to last year, this year too a majority of producers had not planned any releases during the IPL season. They will start opening up their slate only after the IPL to catch upon better viewership. Therefore, logically the negotiations will get a drive up only when the IPL is reaching its season end,” says Inox vice-president (distribution and programming) Utpal Acharya.

Producers and marketers take at least four to four-and-a-half weeks time to market and promote a movie amongst the targeted groups prior to its release date. Hence, Fun Republic chief operating officer, Vishal Kapur suggests that if the studios and producers are to release their films after IPL, mutual agreement has to be reached at least four weeks before the IPL ends.

“We are currently talking to various producers as at this hour, it‘s us the multiplex owners who stand to lose. But, I believe that even if the strike continues, negotiations will have to firm up four weeks prior to the end of the IPL season as producers will need at least that much time to position their films after the tourney,” opines Kapur.

Echoing the same notion, another multiplex owner from a leading media house, however, believes that the “talks are bound to reach a consensus approximately within eight to ten days, as producers will take 4.5 weeks to promote their films. And while the promotion is on, IPL will anyway come to an end.”