After the 3D Party

Similar situations in the recent past have forced film enthusiasts to question if the trend of making films in 3D is a wise one. “Films like Rango prove that you do not need 3D for every film. Besides,the quality of 3D exhibition in Indian cinemas isn’t always up to the mark,” complains filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.

The list of forthcoming films,however,spells a 3D boom. Since Avatar sparked the trend in 2009,many Indian filmmakers announced their 3D projects — Shirish Kunder’s Joker with Akshay Kumar is under production,Ram Gopal Varma’s Raksha and Warning,Abbas Mustan’s untitled,Shekhar Kapur’s Paani and Rohan Sippy’s untitled with Abhishek Bachchan. Vikram Bhatt,after a successful Haunted in 3D,has announced Raaz 3,also in 3D. Shah Rukh Khan,too,is using the technology for his superhero film,Ra.One.

Merzin Tavaria,Chief Creative Officer,Prime Focus,which was involved in the 3D execution process of Avatar,defends the trend: “It’s like saying that we don’t need HD quality viewing experience because it’s a tad expensive,when the fact is that we are already moving in that direction with compatible TVs and channels. It’s only a matter of time before all films are made in 3D.”

There are,however,many detractors. “Making a 3D film ups the cost by 30 per cent. 3D adds to the movie experience,but is viable only because the 2D option is available in smaller towns,” says an executive from a reputed film production house. Kapur,too,has given up the idea of making Paani in 3D,as he considers it “nonviable”. Other filmmakers,like Sippy and Abbas Mustan,have also gone quiet on their projects.

Unimpressed by the hype around 3D films,Manoj Desai,owner of Mumbai’s G7 cineplex,says,“The tickets for 3D films are expensive. The basic technology for exhibiting costs Rs 30 lakh per projector. Single screen owners,whose tickets are mostly priced under Rs 100,bank on the masses as audience and find it impossible to recover costs,” he says.

With the audience already classified into multiplex and single-screen viewers,the multiplex owners are far from worried. “The 3D experience is probably aimed at the multiplex audience for now,but one needs to understand that the number of multiplexes across the country are on the rise. The price of a 3D film’s ticket is only up to 15 per cent higher than a regular film’s,which people are willing to part with for a good movie experience,” says Devang Sampat,Chief Strategy Officer,Cinepolis,the multiplex chain.

The trend could be a result of conscious efforts by cinema halls to compete in the market. Satyam Cineplexes in Delhi has three digitised screens,out of its 12 in the city,while DLF has 15 digitised screens,out of 17. PVR digitised 90 out of 142 screens and 3D-enabled more than 30 of them. “We have to be the trend-setters,” says Deepa Menon,Managing Director,PVR.

Sampat feels that to start with,certain genres like horror,sci-fi and action films like Joker and Ra.One,may be best suited to whet the Indian appetite for 3D. Tavaria,however,says that the script,not the genre,should be the deciding factor. “3D does not imply that things have to pop out of the screen; it should immerse the viewers in the experience.” Exhibitors feel that to judge the trend at this stage would be unfair,as it’s only in the nascent stage. “The viewership is bound to increase by 25 per cent in the next two years,” says Jayendra Banerji,Senior V-P,Operations,Satyam Cineplexes.

(With inputs from Pallavi Pundir)