A year ago, Shahrukh Khan was asked how he felt about a report that 3.2 billion people knew him, while only 2.7 billion across the world knew Tom Cruise. Replying with his trademark humility, SR Khan pointed out that Tom Cruise still made more money thanks to Hollywood's marketing and pricing power. "So there, we do fall short," he had said.
But, recent indications show that King Khan will have less room to complain in the years to come. Bollywood cash flow has just begun to build up in tandem with its effort to build global scale and reach. And last month, there was an opportunity to guage the current market appeal of both Khan and Cruise. Lions for Lambs, directed by Robert Redford and starring Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep released about the same time as Om Shanti Om (OSO), directed by Farah Khan and starring SR Khan and debutante Actress Deepika Padukone. Cruise's movie, which had consumed $35 million in production, garnered $10.3 million in 45 markets on its opening weekend. Khan's movie, also his home production, grossed $19 million worldwide in its opening weekend.
But the most thumping show of the rising might of Indian films came Tamil Superstar Rajinikant's Sivaji , which collected between Rs 100-150 crore worldwide — the highest for any Indian film so far. While OSO and Sivaji are just like oases in a desert, they show that Indian movies have it in them to be global offerings.
Bollywood is sure to make a determined bid to narrow its revenue gap with Hollywood, experts say. Advances in digital technology have brought down the cost of prints — a big cost element — by as much as 90%. That has made it easier for Indian film producers to put out many more prints for distribution. So a movie like OSO is today able to release with a simultaneous print run of 1,400, of which 500 are digital.
"Our industry is already 70% of the way there with the existing content. The balance 30% will come with better distribution, smarter marketing and astute positioning," Aditya Shastri, CEO of production house People Pictures, said. "It is the firms which are investing in content that will succeed in the long run."
But, recent indications show that King Khan will have less room to complain in the years to come. Bollywood cash flow has just begun to build up in tandem with its effort to build global scale and reach. And last month, there was an opportunity to guage the current market appeal of both Khan and Cruise. Lions for Lambs, directed by Robert Redford and starring Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep released about the same time as Om Shanti Om (OSO), directed by Farah Khan and starring SR Khan and debutante Actress Deepika Padukone. Cruise's movie, which had consumed $35 million in production, garnered $10.3 million in 45 markets on its opening weekend. Khan's movie, also his home production, grossed $19 million worldwide in its opening weekend.
But the most thumping show of the rising might of Indian films came Tamil Superstar Rajinikant's Sivaji , which collected between Rs 100-150 crore worldwide — the highest for any Indian film so far. While OSO and Sivaji are just like oases in a desert, they show that Indian movies have it in them to be global offerings.
Bollywood is sure to make a determined bid to narrow its revenue gap with Hollywood, experts say. Advances in digital technology have brought down the cost of prints — a big cost element — by as much as 90%. That has made it easier for Indian film producers to put out many more prints for distribution. So a movie like OSO is today able to release with a simultaneous print run of 1,400, of which 500 are digital.
"Our industry is already 70% of the way there with the existing content. The balance 30% will come with better distribution, smarter marketing and astute positioning," Aditya Shastri, CEO of production house People Pictures, said. "It is the firms which are investing in content that will succeed in the long run."
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