Producers and distributors are waiting – the rest of the industry is watching its back. After a spate of jacked-up prices where our biggest stars got their price on demand, overwhelming and starstruck corporate backing and films mounted on giddily huge budgets, Bollywood is finally facing acute financial scrutiny. Financiers have been quick to lie low, it's no longer important to have extravagant promotions, even the number of cameras used are facing the cut, not to mention the number of technicians. Many films which are complete, are not being released due to lack of buyers and many are not being launched at all.
The film industry has taken guard. They are scared of talking about it openly, but they are talking in whispers. We present the ways in which Bollywood is trying to cut corners. Just to survive.
Shutting Shop
A number of production houses have reportedly retrenched many staffers and even closed down their offices in some cities. One of these has closed down its offices in Bangalore and Delhi, while another has reportedly shut shop in Delhi.
Wait And Watch
Many films are complete, but are not being released as distributors want to wait and watch. Films like Red Alert (Suniel Shetty), Right Ya Wrong (Sunny Deol/Irfan Khan), Juggad (Manoj Bajpai), Aashayein (John Abraham), Aloo Chaat (Aftab), Dev.D.
Meter down
John Abraham has cut down his price by a whopping 60 per cent, and is reportedly charging only Rs 1.6 crore for the film Hook Ya Crook, instead of his usual Rs 4 crore. Even the film’s locations have been changed from the US to the more affordable film studios in Hyderabad.
No free lunch
Freebies are taking a cut. No more free first class tickets for the family, free shopping sprees, free five-star parties and large entourages.
Staying Power
Actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan who never did increase their price to unrealistic levels, may prove to be the survivors.
To the rescue
Big stars, including Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, have had to cut down their price by 50 per cent for their films Veer and De Dhana Dhan, in order to prevent further disaster.
Quartered!
All extra cameras have been returned from the sets of Veer. Also producer Vijay Galani has been asked to cut down the budget of the film to Rs 25 crore, from the original budget of Rs 100 crore.
Half Ticket
The satellite industry has taken a major jolt with Dostana being offered as little as Rs 6 crore. Normally, it would had been offered at least Rs 12 crore for its satellite rights.
On Hold
Many are playing the wait-and-watch game. Rajeev Khandelwal's Peter Gaya Kaam Se, Pritish Nandy’s Fruit and Nut, Deepa Sahi’s film with Nana Patekar and Hema Malini and Farhan Akhtar’s Voice From The Sky have been put on hold until March, 2009. That’s when further decision will be taken.
Forget it!
Actors like Shiney Ahuja, Vivek Oberoi, Zayed Khan who asked for a big price but offered no guarantee that they would bring in the audiences, will be the worst hit as no one will now want to risk their money on them.
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