Bollywood’s Digitalisation Knocking the Indian doors
Having simultaneous release of his movie all over the country in one go is any producer’s dream. This is possible with digitalisation, although Indian cinema has been slow in adopting this technology.
The digitalisation bug hit the industry more than a decade back. Since then every segment of the industry has gone the digital way except for cinema halls.
“Only very recently has it happened that the filmakers and cinema hall owners have risen to the technology. ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ was released recently in digital format”, says Usman Fayez of UFO Moviez.
Fayez attributes the delay in adopting digital cinema to the earlier players involved. “The cost of a print is upto Rs 60 to 70,000, however it is reduced considerably when you use digital technology. The earlier players though adopted digital format to enter the modern bracket, but they continued to make prints in their labs to earn profits” he says.
However, Sanjay Koul of M2K Cinemas cites at the awareness factor for the delay. “The major deteriment factor here is that people in this line are not aware of the technology. Besides, there are not many players also” he says The reason for the digital cinema suddenly becoming so tempting goes beyond just cost bracket. In digital cinema the films are encrypted in digital format, and sent to cinema hall receivers via satellites.
Koul agrees,” Digital cinema makes the whole thing so tension free, no tension of getting the film print or flight delay, we just download it a day before and run it. The quality of picture we get is same for the first and last show as otherwise in prints. This process requires less of human intervention, its user friendly, you can’t ask for more. ” “With the digital cinema coming, there will be a major curb on piracy, the whole thing will get more transparent. Currently the films are not released on B, C centres which boosts piracy,” P S Saminathan, MD, Pyramid Saimira Theatres Limited, says.
The entire process of digital cinema is such that it is touted as the one stop shop to many a troubles, which the film industry is facing. With satellite transmission coming in the picture, there will be no requiremnt of prints to be generated and all the cinema halls (that includes B&C centres as well) shall be able to release the film at one go without anyone bearing the brunt of pricey prints.
Right now the trend in the industry is such that films are first released in major centres and only after 2-3 weeks the smaller centres get prints. At times the prints are also damaged or withered out directly affecting the quality of viewing. The money involved in making prints is high so the producers and exhibitors play it safe in case the film doesn’t recover the costs. All this will now change, the audience will get better quality at no extra price without delay. Finally it will be first day first show for India at one go.
Recently ‘Krissh’ had also created a record of sorts by opening simultaneously at 91 centres.
— PTI
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