Post the release of BellBottom and Chehre it's Kangana Ranaut's Thalavii that's all set for a theatrical release this week. But multiplexes won't be screening the Hindi version of the Jayalalithaa biopic, reason being the short time gap between the film's theatrical and its digital release.
Multiplex chains including PVR and INOX have been offered only a 2-week window by the Thalaivii makers for the Hindi version of the film. Which means that Thalaivii (Hindi) will premiere on Netflix after a two weeks of its theatrical release. As a result multiplexes have refused to release the Hindi version of the biopic unless the producers stick to the now standard 4-week window.
In a statement, Kamal Gianchandani, CEO, PVR Pictures Ltd, said "We are disappointed that for the Hindi language version, Thalaivii team has decided to offer only a 2-week window. We have always requested all studios, producers, artists and other content creators to respect the theatrical window, which has been a time-tested industry practice, agreed to by all stakeholders, for several decades. Considering the severe impact of the ongoing pandemic on our business, PVR Cinemas has already agreed to reduce the 8-week theatrical window to 4 weeks, for all films releasing in the near future."
Post this decision Kangana took to her Instagram handle to express her unhappiness over the decision.
Right after Kangana criticised the multiplex giants, the producers of Thalaivii and multiplex owners got together and agreed that the Tamil and Telugu versions of the film will be given the required 4-week theatrical run before it's premiered on OTT.
As soon as this decision came in Kangana thanked PVR's team.
While the shortening window between a theatrical release and a digital streaming drop is becoming a concern for the exhibitors, the bigger concern is the continued lockdown of theatres and multiplexes in Maharashtra. Almost 30% of a film's box-office revenue comes from Maharashtra, hence it's a big market for producers. Kangana has now personally requested the Maharashtra government to open up theatres in the state before her film hits theatres on 10 September. The actor took to her Instagram story to make the appeal. She wrote, "Cases in Maharashtra have declined requesting Maharashtra Government to #openupcinemas in Maharashtra and save the dying film industry and theatres business."
In another note on her Instagram story Kangana rubbed it in by writing, "In Maharashtra, restaurants, hotels, offices, local trains, everything is open but movie theatres are shut because of Covid, according to Maharashtra government Covid only and only exclusively spreads in the movie theatres."
On Tuesday, even the Multiplex Association of India appealed to the Maharashtra government to open up cinemas and help the industry to get back on track, highlighting the fact that the state's exhibition industry is losing Rs 400 crore per month.
All eyes are now on the Maharashtra government to see if they allow for cinemas to open before 10 September, this becomes especially interesting given Kangana's past run ins with the state government.
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