In 2016, Bollywood actor Salman Khan had announced plans of starting his own passion project, Salman Talkies - a chain of theatres. His plan was to provide subsidised and tax-free tickets, that would be free for children from underprivileged backgrounds. However, it has not been without logistical delays. The actor, in an exclusive to Mumbai Mirror, announced that the these theatres will be positioned on the outskirts of Mumbai.
“I had a lot of plans for the theatre chain but it’s taking me longer because I need to be very careful. There are a lot of logistical details involved so that the project doesn’t shut down. But let me clarify, the theatres will not be in Bandra or Juhu, but on the outskirts of Mumbai.”Salman Khan, Actor
The actor-turned-filmmaker, now dons the hat of a distributor with his latest Race 3, as well as his brother-in-law’s debut, Loveratri.
“There are so many things I want to do in the exhibitor and distributor space, and by turning distributor with (the upcoming Eid release) ‘Race 3’, I have taken my first step in that direction. This chain adds another aspect to my portfolio. We were in talks with Eros for the longest time. Eventually, we reached a phase where the terms and conditions were not met, and the deal fell through. But something good came out of it. I am distributing ‘Race 3’ and will also distribute Aayush’s debut film (‘Loveratri).”
The actor, even in the past, has been vocal about rising ticket prices. With tickets costing the upwards of Rs 400 tier-one cities, he believes the only way to boost box-office collections is by increasing footfalls in small regions.
“Ticket rates should be brought down to Rs 200-250 for weekends and Rs 120-150 for weekdays, the way it is for regional films. With Hindi films the numbers are higher but we need the footfalls too.”Salman Khan, Actor
(Source: Mumbai Mirror)
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