Ramayana vs. the Multiplexes: The 2009 Revenue Deal

Before Ramayana: Part One even opens, it is stirring a debate that has little to do with Ranbir Kapoor, Yash or VFX. Reports say the film’s distributor and the exhibitors are at odds over how ticket revenue will be split. The opinion column argues that this tussle could reopen a conversation that is long overdue.

Ramayana: Proposals and the Old System

Item	Details
Proposal 1	55% for the first 11 days, then back to the existing structure
Proposal 2	60% in week 1, 50% in week 2, then standard slabs
Proposal 3	Flat terms linked to lifetime gross benchmarks
Current system (since 2009)	Week 1: 50%, Week 2: 42.5%, Week 3: 37.5%, Week 4 onwards: 30%
Extra rule	±2.5% incentive or penalty in weeks 1 and 2, based on collection thresholds

What Is Actually Being Asked?

According to the column, the distributor is not demanding one blanket term but has put several options on the table. The reasoning for the higher early share is timing: the film arrives in the soft pre-Diwali period, when theatrical business is slower, so the makers want better terms to offset that. A third idea is to replace week-by-week slabs with flat terms tied to lifetime gross.

Why the 2009 Model Is Called Outdated?

The writer, Jatinder Singh, points out that the 2009 deal made sense when multiplexes were growing fast and needed to recover heavy investments in new cinemas. Before that, distributors often took 60 to 80 per cent of the net box office. Several things have since changed:

Expansion has slowed. Multiplex chains are no longer building at their earlier pace, so the original reason for favouring exhibitors is weaker.
Films run longer. Hits like The Kashmir Files, Chhaava and Dhurandhar earned a large share after week three, when the distributor’s cut is smallest.
Staying power is penalised. A film can keep earning well while the distributor receives a shrinking share.

The Double Standards Argument

The column also notes that the same national chains already offer 55 per cent, and sometimes 60 per cent, in week one to big South Indian films. It adds that they accept four-week OTT windows for those films while demanding eight weeks for Hindi releases. Big event films negotiating better terms is also common globally, and Avengers: Endgame reportedly secured around 65 per cent of US gross.

A Possible Way Forward

Singh doubts a single film can change the system this close to release. He argues for a united push by Hindi producers and distributors, and suggests flat, film-by-film terms linked to box office performance. For example, a Rs 300 crore net film might receive a flat 50 per cent and a Rs 500 crore film 55 per cent. This is the columnist’s view, and exhibitors may well see it differently.

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FAQs

Why is Ramayana’s distributor seeking higher revenue share?

The film releases in the soft pre-Diwali period, and the makers want better terms to offset lower expected business. Several proposals have been floated.

What is the current revenue-sharing model?

Since 2009, distributors receive 50% in week 1, 42.5% in week 2, 37.5% in week 3 and 30% from week 4 onwards.