MUMBAI — We now try and see which films actually made money or lost it. The business of a film is probably the most discussed subject in Hindi cinema nowadays, even going beyond the classic layman’s past favorite gossip fodder about who’s seeing or sleeping with whom! Thanks to the aggressive media and carefully cultivated lobbies, there is little congruency on this aspect. There is too much information available easily, as quotes or on the internet, and most of it is factually off-track, deliberately or through ignorance.
But in this age of corporations largely taking up major films, the picture is literally different by the film. This year we had Eros distributing “Bajirao Mastani” worldwide and making a profit already, Rajshri Productions and Fox Star Studios handling Indian and overseas distribution respectively and making a packet on “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, ” and Red Chillies Entertainment selling “Dilwale” to different producers and making a thick profit even as many Indian distributors have lost small to big money with the overseas market performing far better, as has happened with so many Shah Rukh Khan movies right from “Kal Ho Naa Ho”( 2003) .
The hugest hit was obviously “Bajrangi Bhaijaan, ” which has crossed Rs. 320 crore in India and Rs. 626 crore globally. The second biggest was “Bahubali - The Beginning, ” which cost Rs. 165 crore to the distributor but made about Rs. 600 crore globally( in all languages, from which Hindi accounted for Rs. 120 crore) . In terms of traditional revenue deals, it means that the distributor has made half of that — Rs. 300 crore, which means it has made Rs. 135( 300 minus 165) crore of pure profit from theatrical runs itself, with every other right( music, satellite, Home Video) being a bonus to the producer.
The smaller films, of course, were a different kettle of fish. Whether distributed by corporate( who may have also produced them) or individual distributors, they made a decent to extraordinary profit. Heading the list was “Tanu Weds Manu Returns, ” which at Rs. 152 crore, numerically made almost five times its cost of Rs. 31 crore in Indian cinemas alone. Like “Bajrangi…” and “Bahubali…” therefore, it was a clean hit. And “Prem Ratan….” and “Bajirao…” are likely to follow suit.
Hits, therefore, are of various kinds — the “clean hit” being the one in which everyone — producer, distributors and exhibitors( theater owner) all make definite profits. In the rest, the exhibitor( who is generally very safe, as he gets a fixed rental or a minimum guarantee in most cases) and producer make the profit, while the distributor( s) face( s) the loss.
In today’s times when many corporate entities co-produce and distribute themselves( as with Eros), they first sell the satellite, Home Video and music rights and get a fix on what they must earn from theaters, which is usually easily managed. So if the film does not do well, they make a slim rather than a big profit. Losses are almost never there, unless the disaster is on a truly big scale like “Bombay Velvet, ” where producers Phantom Films also had a contractual liability along with Fox Star( distributors and co-producers) in case of a flop.
“Pyaar Ka PunchNama 2, ” “Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon, ” “Piku, ” and “Hate Story 3” were also clean hits this year, as were “Badlapur, ” “Ek Paheli-Leela” and “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” despite the latter’s limited release.
“Manjhi - The Mountain Man” recovered its slim investment. The same was true of “Talvar, ” “Jazbaa” and “Drishyam.”
The disputed successes, or films where one perception( amount of money raked in) was plus and another( return of investment) was suspect, were many, led by “Baby, ”( Rs. 95.5 cr. in India), “Singh Is Bliing”( Rs. 90.25 cr.) and “Gabbar Is Back”( Rs. 86 cr.) . But as a trade analyst pointed out, “Most Akshay Kumar films break even or make a small profit.” High costs, however, take a toll with those that do not, like Kumar’s fourth film, “Brothers.”
Two more films did business of over Rs. 75 cr.— “Dil Dhadakne Do” and “Welcome Back, ” but due to their high costs are considered losers. And “NH10” is touted to have recovered money from non-theatrical revenues.
The clear-cut flops were led by “Bombay Velvet”( a mammoth disaster) and the other names were “Roy, ” “Shamitabh, ” “Hamari Adhuri Kahani, ” “Hero, ” “Mr. X, ” “Tevar, ” the inordinately expensive “Hawaizaada” considering its lack of face value, “Bangistan, ” “Welcome to Karachi, ” “Shaandaar, ” “All Is Well, ” “Katti Batti, ” “Phantom” and “Tamasha.”
