DTH will fetch cinema more money: Manoj Bajpayee

Jan 23, 2013 IANS

Mumbai, Jan 23 (IANS) After Kamal Haasan, Manoj Bajpayee has advocated direct-to-home (DTH) releases, saying this will spell higher profits for filmmakers.

Kamal Haasan wanted to premiere his bilingual "Vishwaroopam" on DTH before taking it to the theatres, but he had to revise his plans following protests from the distributors.

Manoj, however, feels it would have been "a revolutionary step that Kamal was taking".

"It hasn't worked, but it will work some other time" because this is "the way forward".

"DTH will bring a lot of transparency and the middle-men will vanish. DTH will get more money to cinema. DTH will give more opportunities to each and every film to get released with respect. It has many facilities and it comes with many advantages. I think the middle-men are not letting it happen," Manoj told IANS.

Would he suggest his producers to go ahead and release their films on DTH?

"Whether I suggest or not, that's the future. No matter how unwilling you are, you can't stop technology," said the actor.

Riding high on the success of "Gangs Of Wasseypur" and "Chakravyuh", he feels that DTH will help making Rs.700 to Rs.800 crore.

"Critically acclaimed or commercially success films are not the things that I work for. I work to give my best. If the film earns Rs.100 crore or more than that, that's not in my control. Once you release a film, it is in audience's court."

" Had '...Wasseypur' not been an adult film, it would have fetched more than Rs.100 crore. But it still managed to make quite a lot of money from the first part. But does that mean '...Wasseypur' was a bad film?

"For me, Rs.100 crore is not a benchmark and if you go by the population of our country then, Rs.100 crore is nothing. Once DTH is there, everywhere you will be making Rs. 700 to Rs. 800 crore. Don't limit yourself, try to work on expansion on techniques or cinema halls."