Laila Majnu, Tum Bin, Taal: Are re-releases a growing trend or now an overkill?
What began as a noble idea of nostalgia with films like Laila Majnu and Rockstar, the re-release trend is being overused with a new announcement every other day
What started as a novel idea to bring in some nostalgia to theatres, the trend of re-releases is slowly turning to an overload with almost every other day new re-releases being announced. While Laila Majnu and Tumbbad (both 2018) returned to the big screen hoping to get the theatrical experience they couldn’t get during their original release, new re-releases like Tum Bin (2001) and Taal (1999) just seem to be jumping on the bandwagon. But is this overload being a buzzkill or just adding on to the growing trend?
The overkill of re-releases
Trade analyst Komal Nahta says, “Definitely, it’s an overkill. It’s difficult to predict how long this will go on, but it isn’t going to last for long. People will get tired of seeing old films. Right now, they are rushing to the theatres because it’s a new thing, but it cannot last forever.”
Varun Gupta, Founder Director at Max Marketing insists that “it’s a fad and not even a trend”. “The reason for Tumbbad and Laila Majnu working is that very few people watched it in theatre when it originally released. There is no nostalgia related to it. It’s about the audience compensating for what they missed out on and that’s why the numbers have come in. It’s not applicable for all films. Going to the theatre is still an effort and there would be only movie buffs that would take it for nostalgia. Thus, Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1994) also re-released but it didn’t do the numbers. The re-release culture isn’t a cash cow,” he says.
Batting for the trend
However, trade expert Taran Adarsh defends old films getting a second lease of life in theatres: “I feel re-releases are a great idea and it’s not a new trend. In the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, a lot of films would re-release and would get amazing responses. It’s just a matter of time but let’s not discourage it.”
A symbiotic relationship between OTT and theatres
Giving a new lens to view this culture, CEO of PVR INOX Pictures, Kamal Gianchandani shares, “It indicates a symbiotic relationship between streaming and theatrical business. These re-releases attained more popularity on streaming and cinema gave them a differentiated experience.” But does he feel this phase will get over soon? “Maybe yes. People said the same about pan-India releases, but I feel it’s here to stay. Some films will do well, some will not, but I don’t feel there has been an overkill yet.”
The business side
Managing Director at Cinepolis India, Devang Sampat gives an insight into the business side of it: “While re-releases have contributed positively to business, new releases generally offer higher margins for theatres. The share percentage for new releases is typically higher, but the affordability of re-releases attracts more footfall and theatre business thrives on a balance between the two.” He also advises on how the overloading of re-releases can be avoided. “This danger can be avoided by focusing on high-demand films and coupling them with strong promotional strategies. Theatres can then prevent the concept from losing its allure,” he ends.
