Single-screen theatre owners in Telangana seek revenue sharing on par with multiplexes

HYDERABAD: With one more iconic theatre in Hyderabad paving the way to a seven-screen multiplex, the representatives of Telangana Exhibitors and Contractors Association met the producers association at Film Chambers and sought revenue sharing on a par with the multiplexes.

“There are 250 single-screen theatres left in Telangana and around 80 in the twin cities. For instance, the revenue share of multiplexes will be around Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for every Rs 10 lakh earned as opposed to the single-screen theatres earning in the range of Rs 30,000 for every Rs 10 lakh earned by the producer,” Balgovind Raj Tadla, of Sudarshan and Devi theatres and also secretary of the Telangana Exhibitors and Contractors Association told NewsTAP on Wednesday.

Giving details of the meeting with the producers, he said that nothing concrete had emerged out of the talks, and they had no other option but to demand a better share if the single-screen theatres had to survive.

Also Check the Web Story: Single screen theatres that were shutdown in hyderabad

He pointed out that the pattern of screening had changed after the digital screening of movies had started. He opined that the screening of the movies was not prolonged like earlier days. He said that several screenings occur in a short period, ending the life of the movie too early, unlike in the old days. “This restricts repeated viewing by the moviegoer. For instance, F2 ran well for six to seven weeks.So, there is a hope for single-screen theatres,” he pointed out.

Theatre Workers Association member Marenna said that watching a movie on a single screen would cost less when compared to multiplexes. He said that many small-time vendors depended on these theatres.

During the past decade, over 25 single-screen theatres in Hyderabad and Secunderabad were shut down and sold to house function halls, and furniture shops and a few were demolished for the construction of multiplexes. While the pandemic was the main culprit, changing life styles, format of the movies and the OTT had robbed the sheen off the single-screens.

Sathyam, Odeon, Amba, Milan, Glory, Galaxy, Amaravathi, Shama, Skyline, Deepak, Sudarshan 70mm, SriRama, Nataraj, Manohar, Suresh, Venkatadri, Menaka, Sobhana, Ram and Sangeeth were some of the most iconic theatres that were shut down after incurring heavy losses.