Even after delay, 'Bhooth Bangla' suffers due to 'Dhurandhar 2'
What's the story
The release of the horror-comedy film Bhooth Bangla had been delayed by a week due to the box office storm that Dhurandhar: The Revenge created. However, even with an April 17 release (this Friday), many single-screen cinemas have not yet opened bookings for the film, reported Bollywood Hungama. The issue stems from Jio Studios's demand that Dhurandhar be given 50% of the shows in single screens, arguing that it is still performing well.
Show-sharing dispute
Distribution team of 'Bhooth Bangla' demands full showcasing
On the other hand, the distribution team of Bhooth Bangla has demanded full showcasing. They argue that Dhurandhar has already had a successful, nearly competition-less four-week run, and it's now their turn to get a fair share of shows. They also pointed to ticket sales for paid previews and overall advance booking trends as evidence of demand for Bhooth Bangla.
Booking update
Paid previews to start from Thursday night
Akshay Kumar's Bhooth Bangla will have paid previews from Thursday night. However, due to the ongoing dispute, many single-screen cinemas are yet to open bookings for the film's release on Friday. As of Thursday morning, several single-screen cinemas in Mumbai such as Inox Dadar, Citylight, Plaza, Chitra, New Excelsior, and MovieTime Star City, among others, have not yet opened advance booking for Bhooth Bangla.
Nationwide impact
Booking delay extends to other cities as well
The booking delay is not just limited to Mumbai. Other cities are also facing the same issue. In Delhi, single-screen cinemas like Delite and Liberty have not yet opened bookings for Bhooth Bangla from April 17. Similarly, Jaipur's iconic Raj Mandir has also not opened bookings for the film's release on Friday. Earlier, the Kumar and Ektaa Kapoor-backed film was to hit halls on April 10.