Director Tigmanshu Dhulia: We have kicked the real audience out of theatres, the problem is due to the exhibition sector
National Award-winning director Tigmanshu Dhulia says that beyond the ongoing debates surrounding actor entourages and fees, the core issue lies with the exhibition sector.
“The biggest problem with cinema is due to the exhibition sector and multiplexes. We have literally thrown movie-goers out of the theatres. Ticket prices are beyond the reach of the common man. That is the only reason; it is not the content,” he tells us.
Elaborating on the issue, the filmmaker feels that earlier, people would watch all content — good or bad. “In the single-screen theatres, we had community viewing with first-class, stall, and balcony audiences all under one roof. People used to watch all kinds of movies — acchi ya buri,” he opines.
The filmmaker adds, “With the shutting down of single-screen theatres or their conversion into cineplexes, and the rise of multiplexes, we have kicked the first-class and stall viewers out of the theatre. Picture wahi chalate thhe! They were the real audience, who now watch films on their mobiles. We have created a divide. Even if they have money in hand, they won’t spend it on taking their family to a multiplex!”
Dhulia, who is gearing up for his next feature, Ghamasaan, starring Pratik Gandhi and Arshad Warsi, adds that the charm of big-screen viewing has vanished: “How many 70-mm screens do we have left? In multiplexes and cineplexes, we are literally watching on a big screen, with one large screen converted into three or four auditoriums, all at a higher price. Single-screen theatres need to be revived. In the South, they have single theatres, and now with a cap on ticket pricing, movies are working! The reason re-releases like Tumbbaad and Laila Majnu (both 2018) are succeeding is the low prices.”
The director also disagreed with the popular debate that the audience’s attention span has reduced. “With people binge-watching OTT series and glued to screens for Test matches, I don’t agree with the attention span argument. The problem is with capitalism – recliner seats, on-seat dining in multiplexes. It’s all tamasha! One needs to respect cinema, like it’s done for theatre. In Europe, people do that, and they preserve their traditional theatres,” he says on a concluding note.
