On Monday evening, the personnel of six leading multiplexes of the country (Fame, Inox, PVR, Big, Cinemax and Fun) were on my TV show for a discussion on the ongoing producers/distributors versus multiplexes feud. Gradually, the talk veered to the poor quality of films being churned out these days.

A majority of films have failed to lure audiences in hordes, but what's the solution? Everyone aspires to make a Hit film. In fact, everyone's under the impression that he's making a Hit film, but the industry gets hit week after week by the poor quality of films.

In 1960s and 1970s, the ratio of success was, hold your breath, 80% - 85%. Back then there were no plexes, no mega budgets, no promotional tools like we've these days, yet film after film drew audiences in hordes.

Those days, films ran to packed houses for 25, 50, 75 and even 100 weeks. 100 days was never considered prestigious then, but completing 100 shows today is akin to hoisting a flag on Mount Everest. Back then the films worked because the makers gave a lot of importance to scripts.

Calling off shows due to no audience has become a regular occurrence. The scenario is that bad. RAB NE BANA DI JODI and GHAJINI raked in big moolah at the box-office in the same month, which clearly indicates that the moviegoer is ready to spend his hard-earned money as also his time on a film provided it offers the patron VFM (value for money).

That brings me to the five new releases last Friday. Seriously, does the common man have the time, money and inclination to watch five movies in one week? Why are we jumping in the well? Why can't we look at the dangers that lie ahead?

FIRAAQ, BARAH AANA and even STRAIGHT began their promotion almost a week before their release. The promotion was extremely low-key. You can't wake up one week before the release and start promoting the film, hoping that the audience would get tempted to rush to a nearby cineplex. There has to be at least 4 weeks of rigorous promotion.

The makers of BARAH AANA told me at one of its screenings that they didn't have ample money to publicize the film. So get ready to face the empty halls when the movie releases. What you sow, so shall you reap. Not that aggressive promotion would've elevated the film to major levels, but at least you would've had the satisfaction that you tried.

ALOO CHAAT was the best of the lot, the weekend numbers were in 15% to 20% range. At places lower than 10%. Monday onwards, let's not talk. As for LOTTERY, let's not discuss its fate. No prizes for guessing it!