There is new trend among trade analyst of Bollywood and so called “leading websites” reporting box office business that is to talk about distributor share or talk about nett collections. There is a popular notion that gross collections are not true parameter of success of the film. Let’s see what this fuss is all about.
Growing Obsession With Figures And Records
Figures used to be important for businessmen and middle age women (pun intended). But lately after the boom of internet, media and social media, it has now become the backbone of Bollywood Box Office. Now fans are not concerned about the content of the movie. They are not bothered whether “Dhobhi Ghaat” had international appeal and class screenplay, they are least bothered why SRK is putting so much effort in growing beard or looking real to play coach in “Chak De India”. Today’s fan base at large is worried about just the collections of his star’s next biggie.
If one search through web, one will find umpteen discussion forums and portals going mad over these numbers. Stars are responding too with bigger releases and some smart release strategy of releasing the film on holidays. You can see pressure in comments of every star when his release is around the corner. And this is not going to settle as obsession is getting intensify with every passing release.
Why Distributor Share Is Not Important
Now days many websites will try to calculate distributor share to gauge success of film. That is very weird, why? Look at this. Will you measure success of a garment brand with how much money distributor or truck driver made while delivering the stock to retailer because that is what distributor does in film trade. He is just the supplier of goods or carrier of goods. He is neither creatively or financially involves with making of products, he just “bets” money and wait for the luck to respond. This all distributor share calculation is necessary to know how much one of the entity earned in supply chain but to decide fate of a movie on this is not only confusing but ridiculous.
Why Gross Collections Are Equally Important?
Nett collections give right picture whether film made enough money and what is the end result for everyone from producer to distributor. But these days most of the trade experts and box office portal are downplaying the importance of gross collections. Gross collections are very crucial because these numbers will tell how much Bollywood or films are contributing to Government or economy and how much public spent on particular star or film.
For the matter of fact, gross numbers are the widely used worldwide in every film industry to gauge success of movie and subsequently for analysis nett earnings are used. The combination of Gross and nett collections give you right picture and distributor share is just a small factor for general audience and should not be overstated by experts to paint a different picture of film’s fortune.
Tuesday, 7th February 7:45 PM IST
