In recent discussions, some producers in the film industry are reportedly buying their own movie tickets to create the illusion of success at the box office. This practice has faced criticism but seems to persist. Boney Kapoor, a renowned film producer, shared his thoughts on this during an interview with Komal Nahta.
He expressed, “This is just my perspective, and I could be mistaken. However, I believe that the behind-the-scenes contracts for streaming and satellite rights are influencing this situation. Nowadays, these contracts are tied to box office earnings. For instance, if a film hits the ₹100 crore mark, platforms might offer an extra ₹5 crore to the filmmakers. If it goes beyond ₹120 crores, that amount increases.”
Boney explained that by the time streaming services notice, movies have already appeared successful on paper. He noted that there are fewer distributors now, causing studios to handle their own releases. Interestingly, the expenditure for purchasing tickets can often be categorized as a promotional cost.
He believes this trend won’t last forever. “Sooner or later, people will catch on. Producers may be stuck with older contracts that encourage this behavior, but future filmmakers will face the reality of the market,” he mentioned.
Boney shared a hopeful outlook based on recent developments. He pointed out that Aamir Khan has not sold the streaming or satellite rights for his film “Sitaare Zameen Par.” He hopes it performs well at the box office, showing that theatrical releases can still bring substantial revenue. He also expressed his desire for Aditya Chopra, who is producing “Saiyaara,” to delay the film’s streaming release, encouraging it to thrive in theaters first.
