The Akshay Kumar-starrer has indeed been performing extremely well since its debut a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, it appears that the movie’s producers, and its distributors, Reliance Entertainment, have had problems with Carnival Cinemas. Indeed, the makers of Sooryavanshi have stopped showing the film throughout all Carnival locations as of yesterday, Saturday, November 20th.
The cause for this abrupt decision appears to be Carnival’s failure to pay its distributor share dues. All cinema chains were given instructions to transfer the distributors’ share to Reliance Entertainment twice a week, first on Monday for weekend collections and again on Friday for weekday collections, according to the contract. However, according to Reliance, the Carnival business failed to pay for the remaining four days of the first week. After this, the chain failed to pay dues for the second weekend as well as the second week, prompting Reliance Entertainment to remove the movie off Carnival properties.
It’s worth noting that it’s not the first occasion Reliance Entertainment has owed Carnival money. Well before the outbreak, the chain owed them roughly Rs. 1.35 crore, according to the manufacturing–distribution house. However, the two parties came to an agreement to collect the amounts in a timely manner. Sooryavanshi, on the other hand, was launched and shown at 66 Carnival Cinemas locations, with the remaining locations still to open. Carnival generated NETT receipts of approx. 5.44 crore in Week 1 as well as approx. 1.9 crore in Week 2, as per sources close to us.
According to sources, the Punjabi movie Honsla Rakh was pulled from Carnival’s premises just after the chain failed to deliver the distributor share. This isn’t the first time Carnival has already had problems. Some workers had complained about unpaid dues as well as unprofessional behaviour in September 2021, and also had highlighted how staff were pushed to sell milk and vegetables.
As per a report inside The Economic Times, the company’s existing deficit is more than Rs. 700 crores, as well as a source, said it sought to develop quickly despite not having the financial might of PVR, INOX, or Cinepolis.
The Rohit Shetty-directed Akshay Kumar-Katrina Kaif film has grossed around Rs. 173.26 crore in India as of yesterday [Day 16].
Also Read: Due to demand for Sooryavanshi, Mumbai cinemas beyond midnight
