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Critics, let our movies breathe...

Now that the mutliplex strike is over, I am a relieved man. The eight weeks between April 9 and June 5, 2009 were one of the darkest phases for the Indian film industry. We needed to address serious issues with the multiplexes; however, we also lost out precious revenue in this period.

The movies are back but our worries as the film fraternity are far from over. Have you realised what the scenario will be in the next few months of 2009? Movies, big and small, will be jostling for space at the box office. I don’t know how many of these will get their rightful due because of the mad rush.

There is a difference between a buffet and an a-la-carte meal. A buffet is not necessarily the best way to enjoy a meal. Likewise, a rush of movies at the theatres from now on could be like a buffet with the audience not being able to savour their meal.

There are also two other issues that I must write about in the context of movies. One is about piracy; we lose on an average at least 35 per cent of our box office revenues to piracy. My sincere plea to movie-watchers in India and overseas is please watch our movies in theatres. Don’t watch pirated DVDs.

My second request, please be clear about this — it’s a request, is to the critics. Hello, all critics — would you guys kindly consider bringing out your reviews after the first weekend? Okay, if that is too late, then, bring it out on a Saturday. Give us a clear Thursday / Friday to showcase our movies.

What happens is — I have witnessed this personally, so I am saying it with full confidence — if a review is put up on a website or carried in a newspaper or shown on television on a Thursday / many times on the Friday that the movie opens, and if the movie is panned... then it affects the box office really badly. I witnessed a man from Kolkata telling his family to cancel 11 tickets of a recent movie that was panned by a critic on a Thursday. The man was saying, “We have booked tickets in advance. But this critic has panned it. Let us cancel the 11 tickets and go for an Italian meal instead. Why torture ourselves watching a movie that has got a one star rating!”

There could be a domino effect once many such tickets are cancelled. Poor box office means less revenue for an industry that has already suffered a strike. I know the critics’ job is to inform a reader / viewer. I know the critics have a loyalty to only the reader / viewer. However, my appeal to critics is — if you can please hold your reviews for a day or two, let our movies breathe. We put in a lot of hard work and sweat into the movies and sometimes they are dismissed one day prior to the world release. If 35 per cent is lost to piracy, then the film industry loses at least 20 per cent revenue because of the reviews. Your pen is very powerful and a critic can make or break a movie.

Ideally the industry and critics should work in tandem with each other. I’m hardly saying that the critic shouldn’t do his job. And, he has the freedom of speech — that is every Indian’s fundamental right — so I’m not even trying to tamper with that. My request as a film industry person — an actor first, now also a producer — is, to critics, to be slightly more responsible. Like I said again, this is an appeal.

Tags : movie review, bollywood, Multiplex, Film review

Posted by Akshay Kumar in Bollywood on Mon, 22 Jun, 2009 Report abuse

Comments

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Piyali Majumdar: i have watched your movie blue.it is awsome and you r looking awsome in it.sir i m a fan of yours frm the age 3 years old .i became your fan after watching first day first show of khiladi with my family.sir please do movies like blue,chandni chowk to china because by watching this i could learn martial arts.i could able to fight my fobia.

Posted on Thu, 22 Oct, 2009 Report abuse

Bhupesh Deshmukh: hiii Akshay sir
All the best for BLUE.
looking awsome..as usual...

Posted on Wed, 07 Oct, 2009 Report abuse

Purushottam Kumar: Hi Akshay

Best of luck for ur new film BLUE

Puru

Posted on Wed, 30 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Satish Chodankar: Akshay I am really proud of you when I was watching your TV show I think Kataron Ke Khiladi and on the request of your one of the member you speak to his mother and surprisingly you speak in Marathi a good Marathi without any mistake. Even todays Marathi Manoos also not speaking good marathi like you. I know you speak marathi in so many Hindi movies. I think if every person in Maharashtra (With Mumbai) speak little bit marathi like you then there will be no fight with the out siders there will be no question about it. They should take a lesson from you. I am really proud of you. I never think to see any celebrities, but if I got chance I would really like to meet you. You are real hero more than an actor.

Before I was watching your movies like Hera Feri, Phir Hera Pheri, Bhul Bhulaiya, Bhagam Bhag and other with interest because you are a good actor and good sence of comedy.

Once again thank you Akshay.

Jai Hind Jai Maharashtra.
Satish P. Chodankar
sathiya_pc@hotmail.

Posted on Tue, 29 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Anil Nemawarkar: Hi,
Though I am not from the Film 'Industry', (emphasis on the word 'Industry', though it is not), I have had a few opportunities observing the way it functions. It is an irony, that a business sector that churns billions each year can be so unorganized and uncertain. The problems are real, however due to a lack of structure, the uncertainities are huge and always tend to have an element of surprise.

Added to this, is the 'larger than life' portrait of individuals that form different constituents of this business sector, giving rise to inflated egos, ego centric operations and one-upmanship. The result is a mad rush to either 'Control' or be 'Defensive'.

In fact the greatest challenge & opportuity, the business sector faces is 'Organization & Structure' as an 'Industry'. None of the constituents of this business sector either individually or collectively seem to be paying enough attention to this.

Posted on Fri, 25 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Anil Singh: Hi akki bhaiya this is anil m also urs big fan
all the best for urs upcoming film BLUE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.You r looking so georgious in that filllm

Posted on Fri, 25 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sunny Sharma: aaki bhayia aa jao online..........

Posted on Tue, 22 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sunny Sharma: aaki bhayia aa jao online..........

Posted on Tue, 22 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Pratik Shanu: hi !!!!!!!!
all d best 4 ur most awaited movie......BLUE

Posted on Tue, 22 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Pratik Shanu: hi !!!!!!!!
all d best 4 ur most awaited movie......BLUE

Posted on Tue, 22 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Maninder Bhatia: HI AKKI HOW R U
waiting for Blue
best of luck
take care

Posted on Mon, 21 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sunny Sharma: online aa joa..aapko apki geography wali maam ki kasam...i read sumvere,sumthing abt her..
n if i say anything any rong plz donnt mind as i m saying all in a lighter way tc.."bye"cum sun

Posted on Sat, 19 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sunny Sharma: akki bhayia online aa jao..aab bachoo ki jaan he loge kya..???:)

Posted on Sat, 19 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Mohd Zorjis: I REMEMBER THE AKKI OF SAUGHAND. TODAYS AKKI GOT VERY HUGE SUCCESS. I WANT TO KNOW THE WHAT HE DOING IN FUTURE AFTER FINISHING FEAR FACTOR PART -2. UR TRUE FAN GEORGE

Posted on Wed, 16 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Dharmendra Paswan: hi akshay..

Posted on Tue, 15 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Mayank Kumar: my name is mayank kumar
My friend and me is like you
what is your e-mail address?
where do you live ?
what is your contact number?
what is your favourite song ?
what is your favourite film ?
what is your favourite film director ?

Posted on Tue, 15 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sunny Sharma: akki bhayia ..plz say happy bday 2 "Aarav" frm my side..
aur apna blog bhi kabhi check kr lo..v r ur fans..nt enemies then y u doing this,i knw i m vry small 2 say so but i feel still i can say this nt bcz i m big but since i knw u r vry gud enough 2 mind any thing,hope so..:)
"akki bhayia if anwy1 luvs u(as aperson or fr ur skills) even being a unkwon its is a gr8 thing,isnt??"hope u donnt mind my words..:)
if any1 who can contact our dear aaki bhayia n is reading this msg,plz give us a favour ask him 2 check his blog,say his fans r waiting desperatly fr this
with dep rgrds n luv..
sunnysharma0909@yahoo.co.in

Posted on Tue, 15 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sunny Sharma: hello akki bhayia.............:)

Posted on Sat, 12 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sumit Malhotra: Hi Akshay Sir,
I am a big fan of yours. I read your daily fitness regime & diet in a magazine around 7 years back. Can you please share your fitness regime & the diet you follow to all your fans & fitness aware people in any of your blogs?

regards
Sumit

Posted on Fri, 11 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

Sunny Sharma: 1ce again belated happy bday bhayia.......:)

Posted on Thu, 10 Sep, 2009 Report abuse

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	Critics, let our movies breathe...

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Halving Hunger Through "Business as Unusual"

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