The last hurdle in the marketing drive to promote the two big-ticket Diwali releases has been crossed. Distributors of Sanjay Leela Bhansali?s Saawariya and Farah Khan?s Om Shanti Om have reached an agreement with multiplex chains across the country before their much-hyped November 9 release.
While Eros International, which is distributing Om Shanti Om, has tied up with Inox all over India, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), which is distributing Saawariya, has tied up with various multiplex chains all across. For instance, SPE has done a six-city tour with Fun Republic in Ahmedabad, with PVR in Indore, Hyderabad and Bangalore, with Inox in Jaipur and with Satyam in Delhi with Satyam. In Mumbai, it has signed up with Cinemax.
?There are other multiplex chains who are working with us in marketing the film. They are supporting us wholeheartedly,? said a Sony spokesperson.
The response has been quite phenomenal. For six-pack Shah Rukh Khan?s OSO, the pre-advance bookings all across India are already at 50%, followed by 45% in the second week, 40% in the third week and 35% in the fourth week. Eros is releasing OSO in an unprecedented 2,000 screens worldwide. According to industry sources, for Saawariya too, the pre-advance bookings are at 50% in Mumbai and the rest of India.
Says Ashish Saksena, CEO, PVR Film Cell: ?Both films are looking good to hit the jackpot. We are busy doing a lot of promotions, including corporate shows for a lot of clients since it?s been a while that we have had two major family movies releasing, both commanding a great response from sponsors and corporates.?