New Delhi: Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt-starrer Shaandaarmade a little over Rs.30 crore during an extended holiday weekend it had hoped to cash in on. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh confirmed that the collections of the film released on Dussehra looked no better on the following Saturday or Sunday.
The Vikas Bahl (of Queen fame)-directed romantic comedy, which cost Rs.70 crore to make, is the latest to join the list of big-ticket films of 2015 that have underperformed at the box office.
The second half of the year began on a promising note with the multilingual war epic Baahubali and Salman Khan-starrer Bajrangi Bhaijaan making more than Rs.500 crore each worldwide, but quickly saw a downslide.
In August, Akshay Kumar and Sidharth Malhotra-starrerBrothers, which cost more than Rs.100 crore to make, earned a little over Rs.80 crore, according to movie website Bollywood Hungama. Another Akshay Kumar film, Singh Is Bling, barely recovered its investment at Rs.90 crore.
Earlier in the year, the Rs.120 crore Bombay Velvet generated less than Rs.25 crore, similar to what Amitabh Bachchan's February release Shamitabh brought in, although it cost nearly Rs.50 crore to make.
"It all boils down to the individual film," said Adarsh. "One big film not having done well doesn't mean others will be affected. Shaandaar didn't work because of its weak script. Stars can only draw audiences to the theatres but once the lights are switched off, the content and entertainment value will speak."
To be fair, the biggest hits of Indian cinema have also been big-ticket films. But budget is just one factor. "It's true that a lot of recent big releases haven't been successful. But what matters is the quality of the film itself and not whether it is big or small," said Ajit Andhare, chief operating officer, Viacom18 Motion Pictures. "Some small films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 have made mainstream numbers and are now big films in their own way."
The decision to make a big film has to be deliberated carefully. "The feasibility of making a big-budget film is based on the assumption of a strong opening," said Andhare. "If your star cast and marketing can't ensure one, it's a problem. But it's not like the two suffice. The film has to then travel on its own merit and word-of-mouth praise. Only a combination of all these can work, be it a big or small film."
For instance, despite the presence of stars like Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha, Tevar released earlier this year and made at a cost Rs.40 crore, managed to make just aboutRs.39 crore. At the same time, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, a Rs.15 crore Yash Raj Films production, earned more than Rs.30 crore worldwide.
Marketing"a scientific area, according to Andhare"and targeting the right audience have become crucial with multiple films vying for attention. A lost opening weekend means the end of the story because there is another film awaiting release the next week.
Their lifespan in theatres may have shortened but it's up to individual films to make a mark. "You could make big numbers on a festival weekend. But they come crashing down the second week onwards," said Nandu Ahuja, senior vice-president (India theatrical) at Eros International. "It's all about the filmmaker, his vision, cast and, also, the sense to not release your film in a crowded week."
"There are two lessons to be learnt," said Adarsh. "One, that content is king. And two, that you can't take your audiences for granted."
Adarsh, however, is optimistic about the remaining two months of the year.
Ahuja and Andhare agree that there are big festivals coming up and the industry could hope for hits. Sooraj Barjatya's Salman Khan-starrer Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is set for a Diwali release, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone's Tamasha hits theatres on 27 November and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bajirao Mastani along with Shah Rukh Khan's Dilwale release around Christmas.
"Let us not write the year off just yet. The sky is the limit even now," Adarsh said.
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