Before 2020 or before the coronavirus outbreak, films doing business of Rs 100 crore was a common occurrence.
In fact in 2019 alone, there were as many as 17 Hindi films that entered the Rs 100 crore club, up from 13 in 2018. In 2019, the Indian film industry made another record with six films entering Rs 200 crore club, according to EY 2020 report.
However, in times of the COVID-19 pandemic, theatre owners are rejoicing even when a film does a business of Rs 10 crore.
But now a film has not only entered the Rs 100 crore club, it is also helping exhibitors see some profits after a year-long struggle.
It is south superstar Vijay's Master that made a century in five days of its release. The film's Tamil version had released on January 13 and Vijay The Master, the Hindi version released on January 14 in theatres.
In five days of its release, the film collected Rs 89 crore in Tamil Nadu. Out of the Rs 89 crore, Rs 49 crore is the distributor share, pointed out Karan Taurani, Vice-President, Elara Capital. So, the remaining share will go the exhibitors.
The film earned Rs 20 crore in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and the distributor share is Rs 11.6 crore. In Karnataka and Kerala, Master grossed Rs 13 crore and Rs 8 crore and the distributor share is Rs 5.5 crore and Rs 4 crore, respectively. In North India, the film collected around Rs 4 crore.
During the same period, the film minted over Rs 33 crore from overseas market.
Overall, in five days Master's worldwide business reached over Rs 164 crore.
"Master has rejuvenated the south film industry. Tamil Nadu is going to hit Rs 100 crore net. There are around 800 cinemas in the state and they are contributing Rs 100 crore. So, you can estimate the kind of money that has flowed into the industry," Vishek Chauhan, a single-screen exhibitor who runs Roopbani Cinemas in Bihar, told Moneycontrol.
"Andhra Pradesh/Telangana have done very well. Along with Master, they have movies like Krack and Red which have performed well. Karnataka was slow, but it has picked up after Master and Kerala opened with the film and they have exploded," he added.
Another exhibitor who runs multiplexes in Bengaluru said he was seeing strong profits post Master's release.
"I am seeing houseful shows (at 50 percent capacity). In all the screens, we are running Master. So, number of shows have doubled for the film. Pre-COVID the film would have got 10 shows but now I am having around 20 shows of the film in a day. Thanks to Master I am seeing similar profits as I used to see in the pre-COVID period," said the Bengaluru exhibitor on condition of anonymity.
Kaimal Kumar, who owns Priyadarsini Cinemas in Kerala said he had earned around Rs 7 lakh in nine days after Master's release. However, he said are there many expenses that he has to take care of.
Chauhan noted that along with strong business in south, Master's Hindi version despite no promotion is seeing good traction.
"In Bombay, there were houseful shows in Gaiety Galaxy. In my cinema too on Sunday (January 17) we had strong footfalls. Even the Hindi version in its capacity has done reasonably well."
He added that since reopening, Master (Hindi) has done second best business after Wonder Woman 1984 (WW84).
"When the history of film exhibition will be written, Master will occupy a prominent place. Master has shown that theatrical business is here to stay," said Chauhan.
In the first week of its release, the film has collected over Rs 125 crore, and it is expected that the worldwide total would be around Rs 200 crore.
"Along with money, it is the strong sentiment the film (Master) has brought back in the industry," said Chauhan.