Regional heroes national screens

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: a barrier for a content-rich film.” The multiplex boom, which has created an outlet for entertainment and nation-wide releases of regional films on the same day as in their home state fuels the reach of these films. Regional films are not just banking on theatrical revenue but are also procuring their costs from home video, audio and satellite rights.

According to trade sources, for a multiplex like Cinemax, the contribution of regional cinema formed 2% of its total collections last year; Adlabs that is present across 54 cities pan India claims that 21% of its revenue is contributed by regional films. Tushar Dhingra, Chief Operating Officer, Adlabs Cinemas mentions, “Regional films are very audience-specific and need to be marketed in the right geographies. A Marathi film might not work in a city like Coimbatore and so it makes perfect business sense to release a film in a particular catchment area.”

Tax exemption

Regional cinema may have also benefited from the existing government regulations such as the exemption of entertainment tax for regional films in states including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and compulsory screening of a minimum of 28 shows per multiplex in a year in cities like Mumbai. Cinemax organised a 50-day screening for the commercially successful Marathi film, Shwaas, that made its way to the Oscars last year. An increase in the number of shows also augmented the occupancy at the multiplex by 80%—85%. PVR cinemas hosts Malayalam film festivals and screens Malayalam and other regional films at prime time slots. Adlabs too screened as many as 40 shows of the Punjabi film Mera Pind — sometimes screening around four shows daily.

Films like Kuselan (Tamil), Dhoom Dhaam (Tamil) and Tingya (Marathi) saw increased footfalls at multiplexes due to the higher number of shows and prints circulated. Films like Mera Pind have been popular even in the overseas market.

Film marketing