Multiplexes and their Multiple Problems

Among all its clatters and commotions, the Amrita Mahotsava has made some real good beginnings for the better future of the industry. Yesterday, the leaders of the industry urged (or were they ordering?) the multiplex owners to show at least 4 Kannada film shows every day in their screens. Considering the fact that these multiplexes fall over each other to show all languages films except Kannada, this seems to be a fair demand. After all, a majority of these multiplexes run their business in the heartland of Kannada, Bangalore. So why shouldn’t they be asked to show our Rose and Rowdy monologues at least 4 times a day?

In Bangalore, where multiplexes are sprouting up every Friday morning, the problem runs a bit deeper. You are likely to find at least one Kannada film running any day, any time only in PVR. Other multiplexes such as Fame Cinemas, Fun Cinemas, and Inox hardly show any Kannada movies. Of these, many run hyped movies such as Junglee or movies with big star cast (Ganesh, Puneeth, Sudeep and….. oops, no one else!). Other multiplexes such as Vision Cinemas and Innovative Multiplex do not even bother touching Kannada films with a tadpole.

What might be the problem?

First, it might be the apathy of multiplexes towards Kannada films. In that case, they need to be told in no uncertain terms that they should respect the sentiments of the land where they have based their business. But then, there is another problem. People normally do not come to Multiplexes to watch Kannada films! Of course, films like Mungaru Male and Milana ran for more than a year in PVR and we are all proud of it. But the writer of this article has also been an embarrassed witness to the grand opening of 4-5 people in PVR for many Kannada films, especially by newcomers. If this is the fate of the majority of Kannada films, how and why should any Multiplex owner even bother to run Kannada films at a loss?

While the KFI has every right to ask for a place for its films to be screened in multiplexes, it should try to cater to the tastes of multiplex audiences too. Times have changed, and a 40+ hero demolishing 12+ men with his bare hands look hilarious, not heroic. A multiplex, by its very nature, offers a hell lot of choices for the viewer and he is not likely to opt for a Kannada film which is a remake of some other language film, which he has already seen in the same multiplex paying a hefty amount.

Finally, no businessman would want to run his business at a loss for any reason, not even for Kannada. This may sound a bit harsh, but even the producers who let out war cries for Kannada at the drop of a hat, have not made the countless award winning Kannada novels into films. The reason is simple; they know that people won’t watch them (or they don’t have the ability to make people watch these classic literary works). These are the same producers who run after other language heroines and remake rights, forgetting all about Kannada and its pride in their rush to make some quick bucks.

So, if a producer needs to think about his profit or loss before he ventures to make a film, why shouldn’t a multiplex owner think if he will get a profit out of screening a Kannada film?

The hard truth is, not too many Kannada films these days are likely to bring anybody any profit these days. So while producers and filmmakers ask for a place in multiplexes to screen their films, they should first make movies that have the capacity to get a decent opening in these places. Not that getting an opening in a multiplex is the ultimate proof of quality of a film. But if you want multiplex audiences to watch your films, then you better make something they really enjoy.

Or am I asking for too much?

- Written by Raju Shanbhag