The theatres have finally reopened in many states from last Thursday but Ananya Panday’s and Ishaan Khatter’s action thriller Khaali Peeli that had announced a theatrical release not playing in any multiplex. This is because the multiplex association has decided not to screen a film that was released previously on digital platforms.

Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios told a leading daily, “We offered it to everyone and there were a few independent multiplexes who wanted to pick it up. But the service providers were not ready to write off the Virtual Print Fee (VPF) charges.” He informed that overheads like VPF add to the producer’s burden and its time a new decision is taken about it. He further added, “I’m shocked that after six months of no revenue, the multiplexes continue to stick to such rules and let go of fresh content that could have got them an audience.”

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Zee has another film Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari up for a theatrical Diwali release. Shariq wants exhibitors to make it financially viable for the studio too by reducing VPF and the gap between theatrical and OTT release. However, PV Sunil, MD, Carnival Cinemas stands by the multiplex association’s decision to not screen films that have already released on OTT as it would set a wrong precedent and said, “We will be following all norms which existed before the lockdown, including a six to eight-week window between a theatrical and OTT release. It will become common for content to be identified much in advance for theatrical and digital platforms.”

Talking about the bone of contention, the VPF, Sunil said, “The service providers, UFO and Qube, are getting into distribution by offering a cut in VPF charges, and in some cases even waiving it off totally. It will be a new system of distribution which will lead to cost saving. Positive changes lie in the future.” However, he reiterated that there is no scope of reducing the window between theatrical and OTT release as of now.

VPF made news last year when producer Ronnie Screwvala filed a case against multiplexes in the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for its imposition. However, the verdict was pronounced in the favour of multiplexes.

(Source: Mumbai Mirror)