Movie Channels
This is the time to set their ‘house’ in order for India’s single screens: FICCI-Comscore webinar
MUMBAI: Apart from the COVID-19 crisis, the single screen sector is plagued by several issues that have come into sharp focus in the webinar organized by Comscore, the global box office measurement leader and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the apex chamber of commerce and industry in India.
Some macro level facts were put forth to set the context for the single screen sector in India. India has about 7000 single screens which contribute to a lion’s share of the annual foot falls at cinemas, which is over 1 Billion (100 crores). Even though multiplexes account for a higher share of revenues, it is single screens that draw staggering number of audiences in India and despite this they are facing a huge threat to their very survival.
In this webinar, challenges for single screens were discussed. Access to good content is one of the major issues with single screens. This is mainly because of two factors. First, the amenities and technologies at single screens are not at par with multiplex screens. So, they need capital infusion to improve the conditions. The other biggest factor is the transparency. If single screens can embrace transparency and participate in a central box office measurement mechanism, that can inspire more confidence in distributors. Addressing these two factors could encourage distributors to offer more favorable revenue sharing terms. Transparency can also help single screens to access institutional loans to invest in renewals and up-gradation of their cinemas.
Low screen density was also discussed and government incentives and ease of policies were sought to improve screen density in India. Low per capita cinema consumption is also linked to low screen density in India which also leads to piracy of cinema content. Also, average ticket pricing is one of the lowest in the world which presents a strong case for flexi pricing in various states. Hurdles in getting cinema licensing from multiple agencies were also discussed.
The panelists opined that the single screens should most ideally utilize this cooling period to restructure and improve their cinemas, engage in focused discussions with distributors to fix other relevant operational issues, adopt best practices like transparency to inspire distributor confidence to access and offer good content to the patrons and also equip with all the safety measures that would be required in the post Covid-19 scenario. The panel expressed confidence that Cinema will bounce back and OTT would not be a threat to the Big Screen experience.
UFO, the digital cinema solution provider, offered to work with the exhibitors to access content at more favorable terms and also help equip them with computerized ticketing / m-ticketing at their properties with features capable of eliminating the scope for human contact in the post covid -19 era. Comscore on its part has committed to provide a robust box office measurement system as it is doing across the world to effectively bring in transparency that is so interlinked to several other maladies that single screens are confronted with.
Pankaj Jaysinh, the COO of UFO Moviez distribution, summed up the action plan on this occasion, “When the fishermen are not at sea, they are repairing their nets”.
The panel constituted of eminent industry leaders such as Shaji N. Karun, Chairman, Kerala State Film Development Corporation and Award Winning Filmmaker and Cinematographer; Rahul Puri, MD, Mukta Arts, Rajesh Mishra, CEO, UFO Moviez/Nova Cinemas; Rajan Gupta, President, National Association of Motion Pictures Exhibitors, New Delhi and Owner, Liberty Cinema; ArunMehra, Proprietor, AUM Movies; VinayChoksey, Proprietor, AUM Exhibitors, Mumbai; RubanMathivanan, Managing Partner, G.K. Cinemas, Chennai; Divas Gupta, Novelty Cinema, Lucknow; Arturo Guillen, EVP & Global Managing Director, Comscore Movies; and RajkumarAkella, MD-India, Comscore Movies. This panel was moderated by AkshayeRathi, MD, Rathi Cinemas. This webinar was attended by the film exhibitors, distributors, producers besides members of media and film enthusiasts from across India.
Movie Channels
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat Premieres 14 Feb on Zee
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat world TV premiere 14 Feb at 8pm passion meets politics.
MUMBAI: Cupid’s arrow just got a plot twist and it’s heading straight for your TV screen. This Valentine’s Day, Zee Cinema is turning up the heat with the world television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat, a raw, rule-breaking romantic drama that proves love doesn’t always come wrapped in roses.
Set to air on Saturday, 14 February at 8pm, the film stars Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa, directed by Milap Zaveri. It dives headfirst into obsession, heartbreak, and the kind of unconditional love that leaves scorch marks. Rane plays Vikramaditya, a powerful politician whose all-consuming passion for actress Adaa spirals into chaos when his feelings go unreturned unleashing a storm of emotion, misunderstanding, and life-altering consequences.
The timing couldn’t be sharper. Audiences are clearly craving intense love stories over sugar-coated ones, and this film taps straight into that vein. Harshvardhan Rane already has a loyal fanbase from his cult hit Sanam Teri Kasam, which cemented his status as the go-to guy for heart-wrenching romance especially among younger viewers who keep the film on repeat.
Milap Zaveri captured the film’s beating heart, “This film is about love that doesn’t follow rules. With Valentine’s Day being a time when audiences gravitate towards romantic narratives, the television premiere of Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat on Zee Cinema felt like the perfect fit. The continued love for intense romances shows there is a strong emotional appetite for such stories.”
Rane himself called it a story rooted in messy, honest emotion, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat explores love in its most intense and vulnerable form where emotions are messy and deeply human. It’s a story that doesn’t shy away from passion or pain on Valentine’s Day making it even more special as it reflects the many shades of love people experience.”
Sonam Bajwa added her take, “Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat is not a conventional love story, it’s raw, intense and emotional. Valentine’s Day is usually associated with happy romance but this film explores love in its most vulnerable form.”
So if your Valentine’s plans include more than chocolates and clichés, tune in to Zee Cinema at 8pm on 14 February. Because sometimes the most unforgettable love stories aren’t the ones that end neatly, they’re the ones that leave you questioning just how far passion can push before everything changes.
