'There is nothing wrong in booking theatres in advance'
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Recently, Ajay Devgn was forced to take legal recourse against Yash Raj Films, producers of Jab Tak Hai Jaan, for unfairly using their dominant position in the industry to manipulate exhibitors and distributors to release their film in more theatres than Son Of Sardaar. What is your take on this?
If a producer has planned his release well in advance and has come to some agreement with the theatre owners, there is nothing wrong in booking the theatres. If my judgement tells me that I need two weeks for a film and if the theatre gives it to me, there is nothing wrong. I am not commenting on any one film, I am talking in general. As a producer, it is my right to book the theatre and my stance will remain the same.
There were reports that your film Talaash has blocked the theatre for two weeks leaving limited screens for Akshay Kumar's Khiladi 786, which releases a week after your film.
I hope we have booked for two weeks. I have no idea which film is coming before or after us. I want to make sure all those who want to see my film will get to see it.
The theatre is not bound to give me two weeks. They might decide to give me one week or to not even screen my film. This is what open market is all about. Both sides have to agree on terms.
I know of cases when the producers are so confident of their film that they want an open run. An open run is that the producer will release his film in a theatre and the theatre will not take it off until the producer says so. So if the business becomes less, the producer will give a minimum guarantee. So the terms are different for different films at different times.
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