Block booking is not a new phenomenon for the film industry. Be it the Indian film industry or Hollywood, the practice of inflating gross collections to create a false perception has pulled strings from the shadows. Recently, the Indian film industry has been buzzing with the word with several trade experts and number-crunching sites busting the alleged bubble created by recent releases. Following ‘Sky Force’ and ‘Changer,’ ‘Chhaava’ is now facing accusations of block booking.
Block booking: The mirage of success
Block booking or corporate booking is a practice of buying bulk tickets to create a false perception of a film’s success. It is often done to manoeuvre the public perception, making a title appear a hit. The practice accuses films of boosting their box office numbers by self-buying their film tickets. Moreover, often, actors leverage their brand associations. They ask the brands to bulk buy tickets for their latest films and distribute them to their staff or consumers, and adjust the commercials in their fee.
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The practice of block booking attracts backlash because it shows something which is fabricated. It creates an illusionary positive reception of the film and its success. Due to this, industry insiders worry about the credibility of the industry. However, since technically tickets are getting sold, therefore exhibitors and distributors don’t complain.
What the experts say
As reported by Hindustan Times, trade expert Atul Mohan explains the concept. “If an actor endorses 20 brands, they ask one brand to, for example, purchase 10,000 tickets for their latest film. In return, they waive off some fees or shoot an ad for free. This means 10,000 tickets are legitimately being sold, even if the theatres turn out to be ultimately empty. Then there’s block booking, where a producer, actor, or studio pays for multiple seats out of their own pockets. In both cases, when you open booking apps, you see theatres are filling fast. That creates a positive perception around the film.”
‘Sky Force’ and ‘Game Changer’ accused of block booking
Both Akshay Kumar’s ‘Sky Force’ and Ram Charan’s ‘Game Changer’ failed to dazzle audiences and critics. However, as per number crunching sites and trade experts, both titles inflated their numbers.
Akshay Kumar’s ‘Sky Force’ announced 80 crores in week 1 and over 100 crores till now. However, experts dub it a ‘manufactured success’ with a large part of box office figures coming from self-buying. Expert Komal Nahta took to social media to share his disagreement over the numbers projected by the makers. Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock backed the title.
He said, “The total for 1st week was Rs. 40.50 crore. Of course, the records will show total collections of Rs. 80 crore but that’s because heavy block booking of the unsold tickets was done on each single day of the first week to give the impression that the film was performing extraordinarily at the ticket counters. This was, perhaps, the maximum block bookings anyone had ever done in the history of Bollywood. Proof of this lay in the fact that a housefull or near-housefull scenario on BookMyShow.com coincided with near-empty cinema halls because there was no public to fill the seats which were block-booked.”
Moreover, Ram Charan’s ‘Game Changer’ also faces allegations of block booking. The makers stated that it amassed 186 crores worldwide on premiere day. However, as per number crunchers Sacnilk and Box Office India, the actual worldwide gross stood at only 80 crores. Sri Venkateswara Creations, Zee Studios, and Dil Raju Productions backed the film.
‘Chhaava’: the latest to face the allegations
Vicky Kaushal’s latest film ‘Chaavaa’ is now facing accusations of block booking tickets. After Nahta stated that ‘Sky Force’ engaged in self-buying, he expressed concerns over Maddock’s latest, ‘Chhaava.’
A means to alter the reality and ‘boost ego’
Apart from trade experts, filmmaker Kunal Kohli also weighed in on the issue. During his appearance on Aleena Dissects YouTube show, he expressed his frustration with the practice and the illusionary ego boost. He said, “What is this rubbish? We make the film, release it and then buy tickets ourselves? The media talks about it, but why are you doing block booking? It’s done to pamper the star, to not show them the reality, to pamper the director, to pamper the producer.”
Kohli added, “Nobody believes those numbers. What you’re doing is harmful because you’re making an actor believe in a false reality. Accept your failure—everyone fails, even the biggest actors and directors. What matters is how you bounce back.”
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