ABSTRACT
The distribution of films poses a far greater challenge in India than their production. Unfortunately, only those who are entrenched in the film business in India understand this hard reality. For most newcomers and those extraneous to the industry the glamour of production attracts them without an understanding of the complexity of distribution. India is a huge country with varying entertainment needs, opportunities and disposable incomes. The scenario is further complicated by a plethora of languages, cultural variations and local laws and trade body regulations. The challenge lies in taking a film as a product that has a short shelf life to a huge marketplace like India and the global market while doing justice to product placement, positioning and promotion. The challenge is one of ‘glocalization’ within the country: there are very few all-India distributors of films and the few that exist are corporate houses or successful family businesses that have built all-India distribution but generally focus on their own productions and a few third-party releases. Traditional distributors have shut up shop to make way for the corporate players, largely owing to the financial risks involved in dealing with an unseen product, requiring payment of huge minimum guarantees (MGs) and advances for star-studded films and then hoping for a box office success. Yet big-budget, star-studded films are generally tied up for distribution while still in production, while non-star cast films are chasing distributors for a release and there are no takers even without MGs. One is lucky to find distribution for a low-budget film even on a commission-only basis.
