NEW DELHI: Close to Rs 100 crore is at stake for Bollywood during the Diwali weekend with two big budget movies, Golmaal 3 and Action Replayy, slated for debut that will set the tone for other significant releases next month.
For cinema theatres that tend to focus on cashing on the maximum during the opening weekend of a movie release, launch of a big film around a major holiday has become crucial for their revenue model. It also dictates fortunes for the Indian film industry that produces the most number of flicks in any single year around the world. “Movie buffs look forward to Diwali and Christmas as big movies are released during this time,” said trade analyst Taran Adarsh. 
Although, the quantum of money at stake this year is just half of the production budget of the three movies released last Diwali, the industry would be hoping for a better show. While mega budget flick Blue and a mid-sized movie Main Aurr Mrs Khanna sank, another relatively big budget movie, All the Best, was the only one that managed to woo audiences last year.
Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision produced Golmaal 3 starring Ajay Devgn , Kareena Kapoor and Arshad Warsi will lock horns with Vipul Shah produced Action Replayy starring Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, for eyeballs. Golmaal 3 is being distributed by Eros International that recently raised money through a public issue of shares and PVR Pictures, a subsidiary of multiplex operator PVR Ltd , will distribute Action Replayy in India.
“We slotted Action Replayy for a Diwali release as it is a fun film and in sync with the festive spirit,” said producer & director Vipul Shah. Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Pictures said scheduling a film release during Diwali has to do with consumers’ willingness to spend on shopping and entertainment. Both the comedy movies will have wide release with an above average 1,800-2,000 prints with marketing budget of around `7-8 crore each, the same amount used to make a small budget film.
Rupen Amlani, director-marketing & distribution at Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision said the company has tied up with several brands for in-film placement and promotional tie-ups. These include Tupperware, Emami and Bagpiper among others. The multiplex industry executives believe if both the movies click with the audience, it could turn out to be one of the biggest weekend grossers for them this year, possibly surpassing the previous best during the Id weekend when Dabangg was released.
Following the two Diwali weekend releases in November, there will be Hrithik Roshan-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer Guzarish besides movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in 3D. December will see Farah Khan’s Tees Maar Khan starring Akshay Kumar.
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