Why did PVR halt 'Jolly LLB 3's advance booking?
What's the story
The advance bookings for Jolly LLB 3 were temporarily halted due to a last-minute dispute between Viacom18 and PVR Inox over Virtual Print Fees (VPF). Despite an earlier agreement to waive these fees, PVR Inox reportedly demanded ₹3.5 crore from the producers, threatening to block the movie's release if their demand was not met. This led to a 12-hour freeze on advance bookings for the film.
Booking freeze
'Viacom18 had signed agreement with National Chains for exemption'
A source told Pinkvilla, "Viacom18 had signed an agreement with National Chains for exemption in VPF, and the same has been implemented over the last few years." "However, in a sudden turn of events, PVR Inox started to demand a Virtual Print Fee to the tune of ₹3.5 crore from the producers of Jolly LLB 3."
Producers' stance
Producers refuse to pay the last-minute demand for VPF
The producers of Jolly LLB 3, starring Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi, reportedly refused to pay the last-minute demand. The source told the portal, "When the producers refused to pay the amount by putting the agreement to the forefront, the multiplex leader started to threaten them to stall the release at all their properties." The source also criticized PVR Inox for its sudden demand.
Producer's criticism
'The last-minute tactics are damaging to the film'
"Why is it that they are waking up to demand the amount two days before the release, that too after commencing the advance booking?" posed the source. "The last-minute tactics are damaging to the film and they are trying to get money by tapping into the vulnerabilities of the producers."
Ongoing negotiations
Final outcome of negotiations remains to be seen
As of now, PVR Inox has reportedly agreed to abide by the contract, exempting VPF for Viacom18. And, the movie is available for booking at all PVR Inox locations on online booking platforms. However, the advance bookings were stalled for 12 hours due to this dispute. The source added, "This is unfair to do at the time of release." The final outcome of these negotiations remains to be seen.
Ongoing tussle
VPF disputes have been a long-standing issue for Bollywood
VPF can be described as a subsidy that the film distributors pay the exhibitors to make up for the cost involved in transitioning a film from traditional film prints to digital ones. Hollywood films are often exempt from these fees here, adding another layer of complexity to the situation. VPF disputes have been a long-standing issue for Bollywood, with Ronnie Screwvala previously taking PVR Inox and other chains to the Competition Commission of India in 2019.