Report card on Q1 of 2014: Niche films create ripples but largely uneventful
The first quarter of 2014 has come to an end, and, as always, a few films did well and others didn’t. But it wasn’t an auspicious beginning to the year. It was a very dull first quarter or Q1 and, worse, the biggest release during this time, Salman Khan’s Jai Ho, disappointed.
As with the end of every quarter, it’s time to bring out the film industry’s report card. This week, we ask producers and distributors to sum up the first quarter of 2014
Jayantilal Gada, Chairman, Pen India Pvt Ltd
The first quarter is always low key compared to the second half of the year as everyone is busy preparing for exams and other important things. Since the last few years, small, content-driven films use this window to release, and the good ones get a long run at the ticket counter. Our film Kahaani released two years ago during this time and it enjoyed a long run at cinemas, as is Queen. So we had no blockbusters but small films like Gunday, Highway, Hasee Toh Phasee were profitable for their makers.
Apoorva Mehta, CEO, Dharma Productions
The year has begun on an excellent note, with most of the January and February releases doing well. What was even more heartening is that besides the big-ticket films like Jai Ho, small and niche films also performed well, such as Queen, Hasee Toh Phasee, Yaariyaan and Ragini MMS 2. All these films show that the audience has given a big thumbs up to good and entertaining content. We released our co-production with Phantom Films, Hasee Toh Phasee, which performed very well commercially and was also hugely appreciated critically. We, at Dharma Productions, had a very rewarding first quarter. In the coming months, we have Ungli featuring Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut and Randeep Hooda, and then Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania featuring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
Rudrarup Datta, Head of Marketing and Operations, Viacom18 Motion Pictures
The first quarter can be dubbed the ‘quarter of women’s power’ and Queen was crowning glory. While we need not see massive box-office numbers and record-breaking films, there were some clear cues from the audiences – keep it young and keep it fresh. Don’t give us formula films. Queen has been a delight and, once again, proves that nothing can stop good, honest, content from succeeding. Word-of-mouth and the passionate comments on social media that Queen is getting is unprecedented.
Ramesh Taurani, Producer
2014’s first quarter included disappointments as well as some surprises. But we need no more proof that good cinema works and that’s the thumb rule today. Take the film Queen, for instance. It is still running strong at the ticket counter and growing every week. The second week’s collections were more than first week’s. Highway, Gunday, Hasee Toh Phasee did good business but that one big film with huge business is yet to release.
Sheel Kumar, Producer
The way Queen is growing every week proves, again, that the audience wants good cinema which is synonymous with good content. The first quarter saw a mixed line-up. Some films did well and some didn’t. Imtiaz Ali took cinema to another level with Highway, which was a very different films from his kitty. I believe Queen and Highway were the most profitable films of this quarter as they were quality films.