Hall owners want local premiere of ‘Dunki’ with global debut
Shah Rukh Khan's "Jawan" premiered in Bangladesh simultaneously with its global release through an import arrangement. Following its debut, the movie garnered a positive reception from the audience, contributing to its successful run-in theatres. The simultaneous release played a pivotal role in the film's commercial success.
It is understood that for a Tk 300 ticket to a multiplex showing a Hindi cinema, Tk 69 is allocated to the government. Whenever Shah Rukh Khan's or any Bollywood film is released, a significant number of Bangladeshi viewers opt to travel to India to watch the movie. Hall owners believe that releasing these films simultaneously in Bangladesh would be beneficial for our country.
As the year comes to an end, Shah Rukh Khan will be seen in Rajkumar Hirani's film "Dunki", which will be released worldwide on December 21. Importers are hopeful of releasing the movie in Bangladesh on the same day. The Hindi film has already been submitted to the Ministry of Information. If they get clearance, then the film will be sent to the censor board for screening. On the other hand, the film has already received clearance from the Indian censor board. One of the most highly anticipated films of this year, "Dunki" boasts an ensemble cast featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Boman Irani, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar, and Anil Grover.
Meanwhile, "Animal" starring Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandana was released in Bangladesh on December 8. According to Kamal Kibria Lipu, owner of Kibria films, he confirmed that the movie is doing better in multiplexes than in single-screen halls.
Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, senior marketing officer at Star Cineplex, shared with The Daily Star, "We are hopeful that Shah Rukh Khan's 'Dunki' will see a simultaneous release in Bangladesh alongside its global premiere, which could significantly boost its performance in local theatres. The success of 'Jawan', for instance, was attributed to its same-day release. If the movie arrives in our hall, after it is screened in India, then the audience loses interest in watching the film in cinema halls. Hence, we want 'Dunki' to release on the same day as the rest of the world."
Iftekhar Uddin Noushad, the owner of Madhumita Cinema Hall and former president of the Hall Owners Association, told The Daily Star, "Of course, it is good for us if it is released on the same day. Earlier 'Jawan' released on the same day, which was good for our hall owners."
"Initially, the film performed well at the theaters but after it was released on the streaming platform, the hype dropped down. Having watched the trailer for the movie 'Dunki', I am hopeful that it will do well. Releasing it on the same day worldwide would likely help our business. Unfortunately, 'Animal' which is thriving in India, couldn't do well in our country as it was released later in our country. Viewers are understandably frustrated with unnecessary delays. I believe that if 'Dunki' is released simultaneously, the audience will be more inclined to watch the movie," added Iftekhar.
Shyamoli cinema hall manager Md Hasan expressed to The Daily Star, "It is inconvenient for us when foreign language movies are not released simultaneously. I witnessed this with the release of the movie 'Animal', which did not perform very well. In contrast, 'Jawan', released on the same day, enjoyed good business. I am hopeful that 'Dunki' will have a simultaneous release in Bangladesh, providing some relief for the theaters. The recently released Jeet starrer 'Manush' has failed to capture audience interest, perhaps due to a lack of promotional efforts. In light of this, I strongly advocate for 'Dunki' to follow a same-day release strategy."