Pampered and subsidised, the multiplexes' demand for higher revenue cuts from movies is not just absurd; it reeks of a dishonest bullying tactic

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Bollywood Bullies

Today, the handful of multiplexes contribute about a third to half (depending on which report or consultant you believe) of the total revenues in this $2 billion industry. With above average occupancy rates (vis-à-vis single screen theatres) and higher ticket prices, splitting revenues definitely is an attractive option. But why keep the upper hand in the negotiation and demand terms better than a 50-50 split based on movie performance? For multiplexes, it’s simple economics. A big banner movie doing well rakes in the moolah that helps them subsidise their expanding operations in smaller cities (where average occupancy is less) and other screens in the same city. It is ridiculous, though, for a producer who risks huge amounts of money (especially now with financing drying up for movies) in making and marketing a film. A KPMG report points out that theatrical receipts make up 70% of a Bollywood film compared to a figure of 35% for a Hollywood film. Naturally, sink or swim at the box office is a matter of survival for the producer with the film so heavily dependent on its box office performance. No wonder, a producer like Mukesh Bhatt is fuming at the state of affairs. He told TSI: "It is not that no questions were raised on profit sharing. Negotiations used to happen but unfortunately, weren’t taken up seriously by them. When multiplexes had initially started off, there was a 50% sharing percentage but slowly as they picked up, they started demanding for more. It is the question of our survival. Profit sharing is our right. I see no reason why the multiplexes should have a problem. The producers make a film, incur all the expenditure in terms of promotion etc and these multiplexes just put it up, and also chuck it out as per their call of whether it is a hit or a flop. They are nobody to take that call.” The multiplexes are looking at a short-term gain, craving a bigger piece of the current pie, not realising that clever positioning can help them expand the pie without squabbling over a percentage point or two of revenues. Says Shubho Shekhar Bhattacharjee: "With the current standoff, the producers are not really getting affected. Due to elections and IPL coming up, as it is we would have seen few releases. So it's the call of the multiplexes now. They have to sort the problem because they will be at a greater loss.”

There are always alternatives to the multiplexes – be it DTH, web distribution or rentals. But the Indian market will take time to evolve. Says Mahesh Bhatt: "Technology is changing at a very fast pace. And of course, new and better technology will keep reaching the consumers.” In the meantime, the box office rules. But who rules the box office? The pampered bully who goes by the name of a multiplex? "If we succumb to their pressure, we are finished," says Mukesh Bhatt. The producers are united in a sort of a last stand. It looks like this fight for fair rights at the box office will be playing at a multiplex near you for quite sometime to come.


Tareque Laskar with inputs from Spriha Srivastava


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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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In the three coastal districts of Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam, of the 48 assembly constituencies the Congress had won 40 in 2004;

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Andhra Pradesh

PRP could prove the kingmaker

Contrary to popular assumptions, the real threat to the Congress this time is not the grand alliance but the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP). The latter’s vote share is what will finally decide the winner. In the three coastal districts of Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam, of the 48 assembly constituencies the Congress had won 40 in 2004; whereas the TDP had managed to win only four. Independents won two and the CPI and CPI (M) one each. Back then, the Congress had grabbed most of these seats, with a margin exceeding 15% of the total vote share. After reorganisation, there are 45 assembly constituencies in these three districts. The PRP’s entry has profoundly altered power equations – to the extent that both the Congress and the TDP fear that if their candidates lose, it will in large measure be because of the PRP. Says M. Koteswara Rao, a student from Guntur: “The PRP has been drawing huge turnouts at public meetings, and will play a crucial role in deciding the winners in most of the constituncies.”

Chandrababu had been luring voters with “cash transfer” pledges and colour television sets for poor households. A once strong opponent of a separate Telangana, he has now done a complete volte face; he now supports its statehood!

Chiranjeevi’s younger brother, son and nephew are well known Tollywood heroes. All three inherited his fans, as though they were family property! The grapevine also has it that the PRP has sold tickets worth crores of rupees. In the last elections all the alliance partners – the TRS, the CPI and the CPI (M) – benefited, along with the Congress. All were exploiting the anti-incumbency factor. But now the three have aligned with the TDP to dethrone the Congress. This is the first time since its formation that Andhra Pradesh has three major political parties clamouring for the electoral pie.

Nageswara Rao Thamanam


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An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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With EC banning exit and opinion polls for elections, it is worth looking at why poll predictions are increasingly going off the mark.

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Building castles in the air

Why do poll predictions go so awry? B.S. Chandrasekhar, an audience research expert – a man who tracks attitudinal behaviour of voters - attempts to unravel the statistical puzzle in an interview to TSI: “Most psephologists believe that the margin of standard error in a sample size of 10,000 is around 0.5 percent. Some of them consider a margin of 0.15 as standard error in a sample size of 1 lakh. A difference on the vote share of two percent could result in difference of 12 seats in the Lok Sabha. That margin of standard error gets to be larger in bigger states like UP and Bihar.”

Analysts say that data collected by agencies is of poor quality and their reach in geographically diverse states, suspect.

For the 2004 poll prediction disaster, for instance, NDTV-AC Neilson claimed it had taken a sample size of 1, 22,000. A large size, no doubt, but was it large enough? Samples had been collected from 213 constituencies out of 543, which on face value looks good, but when pitched against the sheer diversity and staggering numbers that come into play on India’s electoral calculus, it is probably no more than a small blip.

Most analysts agree poll prediction is a risky job, but say dangers are magnified when psephologists take their job casually. Countless times predictions are made on the basis of half-baked samples. Exit-poll forecasts are released even before the last vote has been cast.

During the 2004 Lok Sabha in Uttar Pradesh, the election process was to conclude in three phases, but the complete forecast was laid out after Phase 1 and 2, according to which the BJP was slated to get 30 (Aaj Tak), 28 (NDTV), 36 (Star News), but actually slumped to a paltry 11 because the concluding rounds had not been taken into their consideration. “They know its wrong, but they still do it,’’ believes B S Chandrasekhar. You could put it down to compulsions of the marketplace

Crystal ball gazing in Uttar Pradesh is tricky anyway. During the 2007 assembly election, no pundit was quite able to read the UP electorate and their resolve to put Mayawati in front. The CNN-IBN-CSDS predicted a neck-to-neck fight between BSP and SP and gave BSP only 140-150 seats, which in the final analysis, turned out to be 50-60 seats shorter.

Do pollsters confuse between opinion and exit polls? ``Channels starts beaming exit poll outcomes from 5 p.m. on the basis of voting till 2 p.m. But there is no revision of the forecast when voting is complete. The voting pattern in the afternoon is not taken into account, which is a major flaw, because in the afternoon, it tends to be heavier. Secondly, exit poll locations are not representative and far flung areas remain inaccessible,’’ says Prabhkar, head of media lab at the Centre for Media Studies (CMS).

In addition, pollsters have failed to understand the psychology of voters. There is no tested methodology to ascertain the margin of error in replies from respondents. Statistician and psephologist Rajeev Laxman Karnandikar, reacting to TSI’s question on varying poll predictions by TV channels and other agencies, clarifies: “There samples are different and so the methodologies of prediction.” Not surprisingly, so are the declared results.


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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
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You see in urban areas the caste factor hardly even exists.

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Is there no solution to the caste problem, no way for politics to be rid of caste considerations once and for all?

This is a thousand years old social issue… not so much a political issue as a social issue. I think as development speeds up people will get more opportunities to want to enter politics. And as this happens, caste considerations will automatically cease to matter. You see in urban areas the caste factor hardly even exists. It’s only in the rural areas that caste plays such a dominant role.

Do you think reservations are helping the underprivileged sections, or are they actually hampering the nation’s growth?

I don’t think reservations hamper the nation’s development. I believe they are necessary.

Don’t you agree that all deprived people must be treated equally and benefits made available to them all (especially in the education sector) enabling them to compete with the affluent sections?

These people have been oppressed for thousands of years. And I think it is good to give them opportunities to compete with the haves in society.

What are the factors that provoked the recent terrorist attacks in the country? Can these be blamed on the Godhra riots or the Kashmir dispute?

I can’t answer this question. Ask the terrorists.

Can smart advertising campaigns help parties win elections in India?

These are an important part of elections, but not everything.

Why didn’t BJP’s ‘India Shining’ slogan work? Do you think the Congress party’s ‘Jai ho’ slogan will do the trick?

‘Jai ho’ is not a Congress slogan. It signifies development and unity.

You are always so calm and composed, even when you are under stress…

Also, how do you always manage to respond so wisely to the Opposition’s comments?

I have no idea. (Smiles)


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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IIPM 4Ps Quiz- Shahrukh Khan Video
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Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
» IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
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IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...

Sidhu has managed to beat Congress heavyweights and might just pull it off this time again.

Khao Aur Khilao budget by Arindam Chaudhuri
Shahrukh khan to Host IIPM 4Ps Annual Business and Marketing Quiz
2,300 IIPM students get jobs

Navjyot Singh Sidhu

From a ‘strokeless wonder’ to an alleged murderer to the most voluble cricket commentator to laughter show judge, Navjyot Sidhu has donned many hats. But the one that has defined his life in the most telling way over the last decade or so has been that of a politician. In successive elections, Sidhu has managed to beat Congress heavyweights and might just pull it off this time again.


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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
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The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
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As the first round of nominations approach, there are indications that this could be one of the stormiest elections. TSI touches upon the best...

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Mercury rises, as does poll fever

H.D.Kumaraswamy : Karnataka

Open debate

It's not just L.K.Advani who is challenging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an open debate. Karnataka’s ex-CM H.D. Kumaraswamy too wants to engage current chief minister B.S. Yedyurappa in the public fora. Only trouble is, both of them spent time together in the last government. So who is to judge whom? All in the fullness of time...


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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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IIPM - Most Innovative B-School
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Business and Economy - India's Most Influential Business and ...
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Management Certification, IIPM India
(IIPM) Management Education Institute India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
» IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
IIPM Delhi - Indian Institute of Planning and Management New Delhi ...
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...

For some budget shopping, save a day for Camden Town which is popular for open-air markets and 99p stores where everything,

Khao Aur Khilao budget by Arindam Chaudhuri
Shahrukh khan to Host IIPM 4Ps Annual Business and Marketing Quiz
2,300 IIPM students get jobs

Day trippin' in London

enough to click my pictures, which, courtesy the pigeons, are one of the most memorable ones. The Buckingham Palace, the most sought after tourist spots in the world, is just a hop-and-skip away from Trafalgar Square. One has to pay to enter the queen’s abode but I chose to get numerous pictures clicked around the Palace, in its plush gardens that bloomed with different colours of flowers and watch the ‘change of guards’, which is free of cost. There, I discovered that it was actually true that the guards stood starch-stiff and do not even wink for several minutes together!

The London Eye and The Big Ben are within close proximity to Buckingham Palace. Of course, if you wish to drift away from the mainstream, Hyde Park is a nice getaway and so is Regent Park or Convent Garden. For the sportingly inclined a visit to Lord’s is a must (and if you skip on the official tour, it’s free!) or you could make your way to Greenwich and the Prime Meridian – it’s just a bus ride away! After filling up our growling tummies with the delicious hot dogs (hot dog vendors are available at every street), which cost four pounds, and two of them make for a sumptuous meal; we were all set to tread our way to these gigantic structures.

Although the city looks busy throughout the day, with smartly dressed people striding past you at all times, the evenings are even livelier with an atmosphere of celebration! Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden resonate with music and loud cheers of people tapping their feet to it. Student bands perform live at several corners usually to earn pocket money from people who’re kind enough to reward them for the evening entertainment. Piccadilly Circus is also a great place to shop for electronic items, cosmetics, toiletries, souvenirs and has numerous eating joints where pizzas, burgers, chicken falafels, sandwiches etc that can satiate one’s hunger pangs in just about five to twelve pounds. For some budget shopping, save a day for Camden Town which is popular for open-air markets and 99p stores where everything, from stationery to socks to chocolates to accessories to home décor are available. And if you intend to indulge in some branded products, Oxford Street is the place to be.


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM 4Ps Quiz- Shahrukh Khan Video
IIPM - Most Innovative B-School
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IIPM New Delhi, The Indian Institute of Planning and Management, India
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IIPM New Delhi India
IIPM MBA Institute India
IIPM - International
Business and Economy - India's Most Influential Business and ...
Rankings IIPM, The Indian Institute of Planning and Management India
Management Certification, IIPM India
(IIPM) Management Education Institute India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
» IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
IIPM Delhi - Indian Institute of Planning and Management New Delhi ...
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...