Imtiaz Ali, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Amit Sharma, Sohum Shah opine on re-releases impacting new films, and dividing audience FilmyMeet

The trend of re-releases has gathered a lot of steam in the last few months, with films like Laila Majnu (2018), Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001), Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012) and Tumbbad (2018), amongst others getting a second shot at the box office. While the renewed nostalgia is being loved by the audience, how is it impacting the new films, whose screens and audiences are getting divided?

Ask if this overload of re-releases effects new films, and Tumbbad actor-director Sohum Shah says, “It isn’t like a pattern that films are re-releasing in a few weeks. They are coming after a long time. So, the value is more nostalgic for the audience. I think re-releases and new films will eventually coexist.”

The ticket pricing of re-releases is very low while new films cost quite a lot. And Maidaan director Amit Sharma agrees that this parity in ticket prices can impact new films and create a disconnect with the audience: “The normal ticket pricing for a new film should be less. The current rate is very high, and it becomes quite an expensive outing for a middle-class family. I think producers and distributors should come together and find a solution to this, otherwise yahi hoga ki purani film jake dekh ke aate hain.”

Gangs Of Wasseypur producer Guneet Monga Kapoor believes that the audience for re-releases is a separate section altogether. “It’s only going to be fans and not new audiences coming in and discovering it,” she says, adding, “I really don’t think they are taking away anything from the new releases. In today’s time, it’s a choice to come to theatres. And re-releases are definitely not close to the scale of a new release.”

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who has had two successful re-releases with Rockstar (2011) and Laila Majnu this year, believes re-releases should be given their space. He says, “The way to look at it is that cinema is permanent and it can be enjoyed at the screen it was made for, at any point of time. To kill them early to pave way for new releases is a negative way to look at it. Re-releases working is a victory for cinema.”