Satellite telecast only after 8 weeks of release

Four multiplex chains that were long accused of arm-twisting by producers over the satellite telecast dates have just won a big victory. A confrontation between multiplex chains and the producers of Vikram Bhatt directed supernatural film 1921 was resolved on Friday afternoon — only after the film’s release was halted across Cinepolis, PVR, Inox and Carnival. As a result of this, the film lost out on the morning business.

The bone of contention between the two parties was the satellite rights of films. Multiplexes wanted 1921 to hold back from selling their satellite rights to over-the-top (OTT) platforms for two months.

And now Vikram Bhatt’s 1921 will be telecasted on satellite channels only eight weeks after its theatrical release.

Both, the director and producers of 1921 — Reliance Entertainment, preferred to disclose nothing beyond this information promising that the issue was resolved. But the question is, at what cost?

A prominent representative from a multiplex chain says, “The producers have agreed to hold back satellite telecast for eight weeks. This applies not only to 1921 but to all the Hindi releases, big or small.”