Yash Raj Films-PVR feud still on

New Delhi, May 3 (IANS) With "Ta Ra Rum Pum" not releasing at PVRs in Mumbai and Gurgaon, the feud between Bollywood's biggest production house Yash Raj Films (YRF) and India's best-known multiplex brand PVR Cinema continues.

The row kicked off when YRF demanded 50 percent share of the first week's collections for "Dhoom 2", as against 48 percent that is the norm. PVR did not agree, and refused to screen YRF's "Dhoom 2" and "Kabul Express" across the country.

"Discussions are going on between PVR Cinema and YRF but we have reached no conclusive decision. As the exhibitor and the distributor both need each other equally, we hope to reach a conclusion which is fair to both parties," Ashish Saxena, COO film division, PVR Cinema, told IANS.

Refusing to comment on the issue, the YRF spokesperson said: "We don't talk about our business arrangements. But whatever deals we finalise are with mutual agreement with the other party."

Added a source preferring anonymity: "PVR has compromised at some places. It has settled with YRF for a high share of first week collections for 'Ta Ra Rum Pum' at some places while at others it is low.

"As far as occupancy is concerned, on the first day it was only 60 percent while on weekends it soared up to 80 percent at PVRs across the nation. But it has not touched the houseful mark yet."

Box Office reports that "Ta Ra Rum Pum", which is budgeted at Rs.250 million, is the third most expensive film from the Yash Raj banner after "Dhoom 2" and "Fanaa", but its performance at the box office hasn't been very impressive yet.

The opening of the film shocked everybody. However, the film picked up on Saturday and some more on Sunday, but in metros only. Monday showed the normal drop of nearly half the weekend collections.

In Britain, "Ta Ra Rum Pum" received a good opening with weekend collections of $463,507 and in America it was a fair opening with weekend collections of $425,102 at the box office.

However, Saxena finds it "too early" to comment upon the film's fate because it has not been screened at all PVRs. The tiff had adversely affected the collections of "Dhoom 2".

"Although the box office collections of 'Dhoom 2' were good in both domestic and international markets, as it was not released at PVRs the producers faced losses of a little less than Rs.40 million and PVR too lost up to Rs.30 million. And 'Kabul Express' couldn't find the kind of audience it deserved," added the source.

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