Kolkata, March 12 Cinema hall owners have urged a screening committee to ensure that Bengali films are released throughout the year instead of multiple films hitting theaters on the same day, including during festivals, amid a slump in business and the closure of single-screen theaters.
The issue was discussed at a meeting between exhibitors and the screening committee for Bengali films at the office of the Eastern India Motion Pictures Association (EIMPA) on Wednesday evening.
According to exhibitors, a lack of quality Bengali films and poor audience turnout for recent releases have forced several single-screen theaters in north and south Kolkata to shut down operations, while those still running are witnessing very low ticket sales for some shows.
EIMPA president Piya Sengupta, who also heads the screening committee, said on Thursday that exhibitors had written to the panel requesting that Bengali film releases be distributed across all 52 weeks of the year instead of clustering around festivals or specific "prime dates".
"The exhibitors have requested that instead of three or four Bengali films releasing on the same day, the movies should be spread out across the year so that cinema halls get regular content," Sengupta said.
"Many big producers are choosing festival periods to release their films and competing for the same prime dates. As a result, multiple films release on the same day, while the remaining weeks see very few good films that can draw audiences to theaters," she said.
Exhibitors argue that if releases are spread evenly across the year, cinema halls would be able to operate continuously, and the Bengali film industry would benefit.
The meeting was attended by Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India president Swarup Biswas, Navina cinema hall owner Naveen Chokhani, Ajanta Cinema owner and representative of distributors Shatadeep Saha, Binodini Theatre owner Joydeep Mukhopadhyay, and distributor-exhibitor Pankaj Ladia, among others.
Industry sources said that some Hindi film distributors have been reluctant to cooperate when cinema halls prioritize Bengali films.
Under a directive issued by the government of West Bengal last year, single screens and multiplexes in the state must allocate at least one prime-time show daily for Bengali films.
During the Durga Puja last year, several Bengali films were released around the same time, with some filmmakers alleging that a few big production houses and superstars were monopolizing the release and distribution network, reducing showtime for other films and depriving audiences of the opportunity to watch diverse works.
Faced with the situation, independent filmmaker Pradipta Bhattacharya has chosen a different format to release his award-winning film Nadharer Bhela (The Slow Man and his Raft), organizing screenings at different towns across the state against payment.