The ongoing multiplex-Hollywood studios standoff may serve as a blessing in disguise for the controversial film

Finally, Aarakshan may be in for some good luck. Prakash Jha's controversy-ridden film on India's reservation policy may just reap the benefits of a timely release.

Not only is it a long weekend, thanks to Independence Day on Monday, but two very prominent Hollywood films will not be releasing in multiplexes this week.

All thanks to the revenue sharing dispute between Hollywood studios and the multiplex management. Last week, it was Fox Star's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes that hit just single screens.

This week, it's Warner Bros' Final Destination 5 and Viacom 18's Captain America that will refrain from releasing in 1, 050 multiplex screens across the country.

Confirms Denzil Dias, deputy MD (Theatrical), Warner Bros, "We are working with each of our multiplex partners to find the best possible way to resolve the revenue sharing issue for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part Two as well as our forthcoming release Final Destination 5."

Money matters

Multiplexes, which shared a 50-50 percentage pattern with Hollywood production houses, are now offering to give them only 45 per cent of the share, which has not been agreeable to most international studios.

Obviously, the only option the former is left with is to allot the extra screens to the sole big multi-starrer Hindi film this weekend, which is eventually expected to draw more footfall than any Hollywood film would.

Adds a multiplex executive, "More than 80-85 per cent revenue of Hollywood studios in India comes from the multiplexes, and eventually they will be at loss more than us.

Aarakshan has a great buzz to it and it will only benefit us to allot extra screens to the film.

Even if there are three or four extra screens that are allotted to the film, it would be more than beneficial for both distributors and multiplexes. We are however still working on the logistics of it."

Aarakshan is well on its way to make hay at the box-office, as its only other competition is Vikram Bhatt's Phirr. What's more, the next big Bollywood film is Salman Khan's Bodyguard scheduled to release on Eid (August 31).

Apart from that, next weekend also promises to be a long one with public holidays on the occasion of Parsi New Year and Janmashtami.

At the time of going into print, efforts were still on to resolve the dispute between Hollywood studios and multiplex owners.

Filmy Friday
Aarakshan is scheduled to release in all states across the country, except UP and Punjab.
Final Destination 5 and Captain America will only release in 100-odd single screens across India.
The only Hollywood film to release in select multiplexes this weekend is Disney's Winnie The Pooh.