The Hindi version of Leo is hanging in doubts. The movie may have a significant hold in the theatrical business of North India but, it may be of no use whatsoever.
A clash between multiplex chains and South Indian film producers has taken centre stage. The bone of contention? The decision by producers to debut their movies on OTT platforms within just four weeks of their theatrical release. As you know, earlier all movies used to debut on OTT after a mere 4 weeks but Bollywood made a move by stretching it to 8 weeks. But the South Indian film industries have still kept it for 4 weeks.
Notably, this rift has led to multiplex chains, including giants like PVR Inox and Cinepolis, declining to screen the Hindi version of Tamil superstar Vijay’s upcoming film, “Leo,” slated for release during the Dussehra weekend. This move follows a similar stance taken by these chains regarding Rajinikanth’s “Jailer” in August.
The impact of this standoff may be particularly pronounced for “Leo” as it is also set to debut on IMAX screens, primarily located in North India. This decision potentially jeopardizes substantial box office revenue associated with the premium IMAX format.
However, PVR and Cinepolis have declined to comment.
The potential loss of the benefits of an IMAX release for “Leo” is seen as a significant setback by industry insiders. This development comes against the backdrop of OTT platforms posing a growing challenge to the cinema business. Chains like PVR Inox are increasingly urging producers and distributors to commit to not premiering Hindi films online until eight weeks have passed since their theatrical release, just like Bollywood.
A theatre owner closely associated with pan-India chains highlighted the significance of this benchmark, stating that audiences are less likely to visit cinemas if films are available on home screens just four weeks after their release. However, it’s important to note that over 50% of collections for an average movie in the Hindi-speaking belt are contributed by the top two multiplex chains.
Let’s see if Leo gets released in Hindi.