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Our Bureau

Mumbai, June 15

With India crashing out of the Twenty20 World Cup, multiplex operators are expecting an increase in footfalls over the coming few weeks.

“The T20 matches after 10 p.m., and involving India in particular, affected late evening and night shows,” Mr Devang Sampat, Senior Vice-President, Cinemax, told Business Line. However, he was optimistic that from Monday onwards, night shows would pick momentum.

Most multiplex chains generated a lukewarm response for the first weekend after the stand-off between producers and multiplexes was resolved. The Big Pictures-promoted Kal Kissne Dekha, which released in 510 screens worldwide, did not have an impressive box office opening. However, Big hopes that the movie would pick up and may even add additional prints from Friday.

“Over the weekend we had occupancies of 30-40 per cent. Now, we think business will pick up over the week,” said Mr Alok Tandon, COO, Inox Leisure.

Few multiplexes even screened the T20 matches to keep the cash register ticking. Mr Vishal Kapur, COO, Fun Cinemas, which screened the tourney said, “We clocked over 50 per cent occupancy for both matches – India vs England and India vs West Indies — in almost all six properties we screened.”

Depending on India’s performance, Fun Cinemas had kept the options open to telecast remaining matches. “Now with the Indian team crashing out and a few big-ticket releases in the pipeline, we expect things to be better,” Mr Kapur added.

Meanwhile, Hollywood movies such as Bride Wars, 17 Again and Angels and Demons have fared much better than Indian releases. “English movies are doing well as they are released across limited screens. Angels and Demons is doing exceptionally well in Tier-II cities,” said Mr Sampat.

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