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EXCLUSIVE: I'll QUIT the industry if exhibitors succumb to the pressure - Rakesh Roshan on Kaabil getting lesser screens than Raees
Rakesh Roshan is upset with the exhibitors as his film Kaabil has got lesser screens compared to Shah Rukh Khan's Raees. While a 50-50 ratio of screen count was promised, exhibitors succumbed to pressure and have given a 60-40 screen ration in the Kaabil vs Raees clash.
Director Rakesh Roshan is mighty upset with the exhibitors. His film Kaabil has released in the theatres today and is clashing with Shah Rukh Khan's Raees. Initially, the exhibitors had promised a 50-50 screen count for both the films. But the producer was in for a shock when today morning he saw that the ratio changed to 60-40, with Raees getting the higher share.
We spoke to Rakesh Roshan about the unfair screen count. Ask him about it and he says, "I was in a shock when I opened the newspapers today and saw the listings of the theatres. I tried my best to tell all the exhibitors that you have to set the trend for not clashing films and to set the trend, they have to go 50-50. Because it is not good for the producers, distributors, exhibitors and the audience. They don't have so much money to spend in a week to watch two films. We are depriving everybody and the ball is in your court. You all have to take a stand and prove to the industry that we will not stand against any unbias. But after giving me assurances, they have done this under what pressure, I don't know. If they can come under pressure, then our industry will never move forward. It will come backwards."
An upset Roshan continues, "I always make films where I took the industry forward in a good way. I am pushing the audience with the same thought through my films. Everybody is capable of doing things in life and you should never lose. And I had thought the corporate bodies will take the industry ahead. But that is not the case. I am very hurt and if this is what they are going to do henceforth also, then I will quit the industry. I don't want to make films if this is the way they are behaving. If they change then I will change my mind otherwise I won't. Because tomorrow our collections are going to be low. It's a straight loss of 150 crore for us! But I am not worried about it because I have made a good film. How the audience takes it, that I don't know. I am talking to you at a point when my first show is going on in the theatre. I am not talking after my film is a success or a failure. I am just putting it straight that this should not happen. If you want to progress then this should stop. Why in Dubai, UK, USA, New Zealand, Singapore we see the 50-50 trend? Because they understand. But in our industry, they succumb to the pressure. And this is not right."
Quiz him if he was aware about this 60-40 ratio practice and he elaborates, "I was aware about this and that is why I showed one hour of my film which I have never done in my entire career to the exhibitors. They always thought that I make films which are not going to work. When I made Koi... Mil Gaya, they said he is making a film with a mentally challenged boy. When I made Krrish they said what superhero will he make? India cannot compete with Hollywood superheroes. But I made Krrish, I made Koi... Mil Gaya. So they should go blindly with me. I am not saying I want 51%. We should go ahead with a 50-50 because I respect other filmmakers also."
Probe him if he tried to speak to the team of Raees and the veteran admits, "No. I tried to make them understand but they didn't and decided to clash with us. Which is okay because the date doesn't belong to us. But somebody has to correct them and not just them but also others. And this correction can come only from the exhibitors side. They have to change the mindset. I am not saying that I am cheated but they have succumbed to the pressure and have shown their weakness. I thought they were very strong people."
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