A fresh fight has erupted among theatres over screen allocation for upcoming films. The dispute involves distributors of ‘Bantwara 1947’ and ‘Awarapan 2’. Meanwhile, ‘Toxic’ has added another challenge before its release. As a result, single-screen theatres now face growing pressure over show distribution.
The main disagreement centres on screen sharing between the competing films. Distributors of Sunny Deol’s ‘Bantwara 1947’ have approached several single-screen theatres. They want each venue to show their film at least once daily from August 21.
However, theatre owners face a different concern. They say audiences are not turning up for ‘Bantwara 1947’. Therefore, allocating shows becomes difficult for them.
‘Awarapan 2’ demand puts theatre owners in a bind
Meanwhile, audiences are showing demand for Emraan Hashmi’s ‘Awarapan 2’. Consequently, theatre owners want to dedicate their shows to this film. Yet, distributors have placed another condition before them.
The distributors of ‘Awarapan 2’ want single-screen theatres to run only their film. They want every show dedicated to ‘Awarapan 2’ until August 27.
That demand creates another problem for theatre operators. Yash’s much-awaited film ‘Toxic’ arrives on August 26. Therefore, the timing leaves theatres with very little room for adjustment.
‘Toxic’ adds another layer to the screen battle
‘Toxic’ distributors also want maximum screens for their film. Consequently, single-screen owners must balance demands from three major releases.
On one side, ‘Bantwara 1947’ distributors want at least one show from August 21. On another, ‘Awarapan 2’ distributors want all shows until August 27. Meanwhile, ‘Toxic’ distributors want maximum screens from August 26.
The situation has therefore created a difficult choice for single-screen theatres. Owners must manage competing distributor demands alongside audience preferences. The biggest question now remains whether these venues can accommodate all three films.
For theatre owners, the coming days could decide which releases receive the strongest screen presence.
