‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ was watched by two per cent Indians in theatres, five major reasons why

1. According to reports, a staggering 74.5 million people, across India, tuned into the TV premiere of the film last month. But in a session on increasing footfalls in theatres at the ongoing Indywood Film market, it was revealed that only three crore and 21 lakh people have so far watched Bollywood blockbuster “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” in cinemas.

2. Another reason is that 50 per cent of Indian population still has no access to cinemas. “Seven screens cater to one million people in India vis-a-vis over 100 screens in US. As of today, only 15 per cent of total screens in India constitute multiplexes while the rest are still single screen cinemas. Despite being the largest producer of films in the world, India still struggles to generate revenue because most people still have no access to screens,” said P.V. Sunil, director and CEO of Carnival Cinemas.

3. According to Devang Sampat, business head – strategy, Cinepolis India, one of the best ways to increase footfalls is to target tier-2, tier-3 and even tier-4 cities. He further says multiplex theatres should be opened in small cities too and the response is good.

4.  Sampat said that most multiplexes rely on malls, which is not a healthy trend. “In places like Madhya Pradesh, people literally travel 50 km to watch movies. Why not we take the screens to them? Why not build multiplexes in these places? Indians don’t watch cinema for entertainment; it’s a culture for us,” he added.

5. Technology is a key driver in increasing footfalls, said Sohan Roy, founder chairman and CEO of Aries Group of Companies. “Take the case of ‘Baahubali’, which ran houseful for 15 weeks in our cinemas. It was screened in 4K projection and the audience loved the experience. They watched it more than once. Technology plays a pivotal in drawing audiences for the overall experience in a cinema hall,” Roy said.