Satellite is the story

Satellite is the story
ROHAN SIPPY

The Merriam-Webster dictionary states that the word satellite has its origin in Middle French, from the Latin satellite, satelles, meaning attendant. One of the meanings attached to it is ``a manufactured object or vehicle intended to orbit the earth, the moon, or another celestial body.'' But of late the word has taken on a rosy hue for film producers, because of late, the feeding frenzy is all about satellite rights for films.

The media has over the last several months already covered the story about the segmentation of the market how urban and NRI audiences are responsible for a greater proportion of the film industry's revenues. The implications of this trend can be seen quite clearly films are now being tailored to their tastes, with the converse effect of fewer films, especially the big-budget, A-films catered to the non-urban audiences.

It used to be that satellite was a residual right, one that was negotiated after the release of the film. It didn't even figure into the calculations a producer made when he sat down to work out his possible revenue it was a bonus of sorts. Not anymore.

And even though these days there is a general conditioning to the kinds of astronomical prices these territories are fetching, the current numbers that are associated with satellite rights seem truly stratospheric. Consider these figures that are currently the grist of the film industry gossip mill:

A film under production was launched under adverse conditions, but today the producer has an offer of Rs 5 crore for the satellite rights alone. And this with no Khan attached!

A film by a successful director, yet to go on the floors, is being offered Rs 15 crore for the overseas and satellite rights.

Now with satellite and music rights, it seems that Bollywood revenue streams are mirroring those of Hollywood, where non-theatrical revenues are larger than box-office collections. If piracy can be effectively checked, rentals and video sales would also contribute to this sector's growth. And we haven't even mentioned the ultimate revenue Shangrila, the Internet.

So does this mean that producers have found that golden goose that will give them that elixir that they desire ``on-table profit,'' meaning that films will actually sell for more than they cost to make? Doubtful.

Costs of production are sure to go through the roof very shortly. The instant that money comes into the industry, the system finds a way to soak it all up. Meaning, star prices are going to spiral, very simply because they will have producers, satellite channels, and music companies with a lot more money chasing them.

But money apart, what is more interesting is where this is taking our films and our audiences. The satellite boom is an extension of the same market trend that has affected the urban and overseas theatrical sectors, shifting the base of who buys Hindi films.

What was once a product for the have-nots indeed entirely depended on them for its existence is rapidly being made and marketed for the haves. So when films today are replete with aspirational and fantasy images that people outside cities will have trouble relating to, the attitude literally is, it doesn't matter if my film doesn't sell in Bihar, I want my film to run in Birmingham.

The word satellite also has a second meaning in the dictionary ``a hired agent or obsequious follower: minion, sycophant.'' At a time like this, it seems that the audience of the Indian heartland is assumed to be satellite to the film industry.