Cinemas set to cash in as stalemate ends

Distributors and film trade analysts concur that New York will benefit from the stalemate that has deprived audiences for so long.

Sumit Singh,a Delhi University student,had come to the cinemas despite the fact that he was not too excited about the film. “I came because I can’t remember the last time I saw a decent Bollywood film on the big screen,” he said.

With a star cast of John Abraham,Neil Nitin Mukesh and Katrina Kaif,the “drawing power” of New York would have been limited in a normal season. According to early reports,it was doing exceptionally well in multiplexes,drawing in full houses in most cinemas. The average attendance was pegged at 85 to 90 per cent. Even in the interiors,which were not considered a target market for the film,the cinemas registered 70 to 75 per cent attendance.

This is only bound to increase over the weekend. A manager at PVR Cinemas said on condition of anonymity that there were hardly any tickets available for the weekend shows. “The advance booking has been phenomenal. The juggernaut has started rolling,” he said.

Even films such as X-Men and Terminator Salvation are doing well,taking in 60 to 65 per cent attendance. Distributor Sanjay Mehta attributed it to the “overflow” factor. “If you don’t get tickets for the big Bollywood blockbuster,you don’t want to go home without having watched a movie. As a result,the attendance for other films increases,” he said.

Kambakht Ishq,which releases on July 3,is expected to surpass the excitement generated by New York. “It’s got a great title and universal commercial appeal,” Mehta said. “Akshay is a bigger star than John and Neil put together.”