Chennai Express - Reviews & BO Updates Thread!! - Page 99

August sees some big-ticket releases starting from 'Chennai Express'. While ticket prices in Mumbai are set to increase by 40% because of the Eid weekend and other holidays, in Delhi, prices are not changing. Hooray!

Movie releases during Eid, Diwali and Christmas are almost always locked by big-ticket blockbusters. Movie-goers too, are used to a hike in ticket prices, because of the festive season and because mostly, the films are awaited releases of a big star. However, this Eid - which is also an extended weekend - ticket prices in Delhi are not increasing, or increasing by only 5-10%.

Eid, which is on August 9, brings a series of big films. Chennai Express releases on Eid, which will be followed by Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai Dobaara, Madras Cafe and Satyagrahalater this month. It's a big month in terms of movie releases, but ticket prices are set to remain unchanged.

Not increasing prices
While in Mumbai, ticket prices are set to increase by as much as 40% on weekdays and 20% on weekends, Delhi and NCR will have very minimal or no change in rates. Anant Verma, business head, DT Cinemas, tells us, "We are not increasing the rates on Eid. All prices will remain as they are. We stick to the norms of the Delhi Licensing Department, which permits us to increase prices twice a year. We raised prices recently, for Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, but that too by 7-10%. So, we'll not increase prices now."

DT Cinemas' branch in Gurgaon doesn't come under the Delhi Licensing Department, but prices there too, will not change. "We can increase prices in Gurgaon, but as company policy, we aren't doing so," says Verma. The pricing in PVR will also be normal, says Rahul Singh, senior VP, Operations, PVR LTD. "Eid is on Friday and Chennai Express is the only film releasing that weekend. People will be eagerly waiting for it. Our pricing in Delhi and NCR will be normal," he says, "We get the rates approved in the beginning of the year, which are different for different films. For a blockbuster, rates are different, and different for a low-budget film. If a film is three hours long, its rate is different. We are considering Chennai Express a blockbuster, so its tickets will be priced like that. It could start from 100 for weekdays, and 300-350 for weekends."

Similarly, Ashish Saxena, head, Operations, Big Cinemas, says, "We are not increasing prices, but the pricing will be that of a blockbuster."

Minimal hike in prices
Since in Delhi, ticket pricing is monitored by the Licensing Department, "We have very little scope to increase prices," says Vishal Anand, senior VP, Operations, Fun Cinemas, "There is a slot, and whatever increase happens, happens within the slot. It's not a free market like MP or Maharashtra, where ticket prices can be increased by as much as you want. This month has festivals (Eid, Rakhi, Bhai Dooj), a national holiday, and extended weekends, and to top all that, big stars' films are releasing. Prices are hiked for big releases. If we look at past records, Eid is a very strong period. And with the release of four big movies, we are hoping August to be a big month. So, the ticket prices will see a variation, but there'll be a negligible increase - not more than 5%. Ticket price 10 se 15 ho jayega."

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-08/news-interviews/41168547_1_ticket-prices-eid-chennai-express

Chennai Express opened on its 1st Friday spectacularly at the Domestic Box Office. The film on its opening day alone has earned whooping 33.10 crores, smashing all previous highest opening day record of any film. With that the film's total income already rests at 39.85 crores, adding the film's collections from its preview shows.

SRK has seen a release after last year's Yash Chopra directorial Jab Tak Hai Jaan. And being a star of his magnitude, the response is naturally huge and overwhelming.

Chennai Express till yesterday evening had earned over 30 crores and adding the earnings from night shows the film made a magnanimous total beating Salman's record of highest opening day collections from last Eid when Ek Tha Tiger made 32.92 crores on its Day 1.

Since there is an unsaid competition between the stars, box office numbers have marginally favoured SRK over Salman this time.