It is appalling how no one is talking about this. It is shocking how no one is questioning this. The Big question is how is it suddenly that the cost of Production of Big Star Bollywood films has reached new heights. How does a Besharam cost 90 Crores? Krrish is still understandable, with a large chunk of its budget dedicated to expensive visual effects. Here is the answer.
There are essentially three studios Eros, Reliance and Viacom that are vying for all the “STAR” films being made. These large films are very important for their Stock Exchange Index. So these films are virtually being bid for. So the Big films get hugely overpaid for. Who pays for this over-inflated cost of production? The people of the country, because all these studios are listed companies. Who gets the largest chunk of the money? The stars of course. An exceptionally large amount of money is spent promoting the film. This too comes from the studios, read YOU. No problem so far. The problem is, when a film like BESHARAM fails the first day. You paid for the over inflated star fees. You paid for the ticket to massive disappointment, and Ranbir Kapoor walked home with 40 Cr. In effect, a large illusion was created that YOU paid for, a still larger illusion was created through extravagant promotions to invite YOU to the illusion, YOU paid to witness the illusion and Ranbir Kapoor got home richer and how just to let you know YOU WERE FOOLED.
What is this doing to the small, new and groundbreaking films? A lot of damage! For starters they do not get a good release date. The studios treat such films like dirt. The lucky ones like THE LUNCH BOX, WARNING, B.A PASS still manage a decent release and an average of a Crore a day. But films like PRAGUE and MAAZI (last week) died on day 1. Half the reviewers are not even interested in reviewing them, no one saw them in theaters so no one will ever know if they were any good. How heartbreaking for people who tried some innovative stories. WARNING (last week) and LUNCHBOX may continue to make a small amount of 50 Lac a day and will hopefully inch into profits. The small Producers will either stop making such films or will switch to the Grand Masti mode while the studio executive will continue to suck up stars like Ranbir Kapoor to get their next film.
The “fake” star system has to be re-looked at, if movies in Bollywood need a new lease of life. We say we want Bollywood to change. But what we don’t realize is that the Bollywood big movie mafias won’t let it happen. RIP small. Right now the Big bully is winning. But for how long is the question? It hurts the film industry – that’s why Besharam gives failure a bad name.
