Single screens at the receiving end of box office clash

Last week, single-screen cinemas in India had a tumultuous few days when distributors of Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki and the Telugu action movie Salaar, both scheduled for release during the Christmas weekend, insisted on primeshow timings, and refused to share screening space.

- Lata Jha

This clash led to a last-minute tussle over screen allocation, causing booking delays and affecting business, particularly in smaller towns. Theatre owners said it was common for them to face pressure from studios, with threats of withholding future films if their current offerings weren't given preferred showcasing.

Pranav Garg, managing director at Maya Palace, a twoscreen cinema in Muzaffarnagar, urged distributors with frequent releases to avoid such clashes. "We're merely service providers and it would be best if they worked these things out among themselves," he said.