Yesterday, on May 15, Maddock Films, the producers of Bhool Chuk Maaf and PVR Inox, in a joint statement, announced that the Rajkummar Rao-Wamiqa Gabbi starrer Bhool Chuk Maaf will arrive in cinemas on May 23. The official statement did not answer the question that was on the minds of several people in the industry and trade – is the romcom arriving on OTT in two weeks, as reported by a section of the media? Some stakeholders in the industry believed that one should wait for an answer from either of the two parties before jumping to conclusions. However, some believe that since both the producer and multiplex chain didn’t choose to address this aspect, it confirms the speculations. There’s also a claim that the OTT-theatrical window might be more than two weeks and a clear answer would emerge in a few days. While everyone was trying to process this development, another aspect of the release of Bhool Chuk Maaf has also come to light – the clause of the VPF waiver.
Some sources in the trade maintain that Bhool Chuk Maaf makers will have to pay the Virtual Print Fee (VPF) only if it crosses a certain number. If it fails to do so, then VPF will be waived off. However, certain experts have said that the producers have a complete waiver-off regarding VPF, regardless of its theatrical business. This aspect is significant considering the controversies that have rocked the industry over VPF in the past.
What is VPF? Virtual Print Fee (VPF) is a charge that big multiplex chains in India take from producers or distributors to help cover the cost of upgrading their technology, which is meant to give audiences a better movie experience. On average, this fee is around Rs. 20,000 per screen. For smaller cinema chains and non-2K theatres, this fee is collected by companies like UFO, Scrabble, Qube etc., which provide digital cinema services.
For a long time, producers have argued that the VPF shouldn’t be charged indefinitely and it was supposed to have been imposed only for a certain time. The exhibitors, on the other hand, feel that VPF is necessary as it helps bear the cost of playing the film using the latest technology and has many advantages.
In 2019, the matter became widely known and discussed after producer Ronnie Screwvala filed a case with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against PVR, Inox, Cinepolis and Carnival Cinemas over VPF. One of the points raised in this complaint was that this fee is charged only from Indian films and that Hollywood movies are exempted. Interestingly, Dangal (2016), a Bollywood film starring Aamir Khan, was exempted from VPF as UTV had released it under the branding of Disney, a Hollywood studio! This led to immense opposition and was included in the complaint to the CCI by Ronnie.
However, the CCI ruled in favour of the multiplexes. Ronnie Screwvala, in an interview with Bombay Times, had then said, “I am disappointed, though not surprised, at the complete lack of support from all colleagues, producers, distributors and the creative community who in private commended the action. But not one individual, company or association supported my complaint as that would have gone a long way to endorse with the CCI the apparent practices that is common knowledge to all.”
The VPF was back in the news a year later, in 2020, when the fee was exempted temporarily due to pandemic-related uncertainties and a reduction in footfalls in cinemas. That was the last time VPF made news until Bhool Chuk Maaf brought it back into the limelight.
Cut to the present day… Thus, the history behind VPF has already led to raised eyebrows and even disbelief over the Bhool Chuk Maaf case outcome. An industry insider told Bollywood Hungama, “Already, there was a fear that if Bhool Chuk Maaf appears on OTT two weeks after its release in cinemas, other producers would also demand a similar arrangement. Now, the VPF waiver can also set a precedent. So many producers have claimed that they have suffered and had to pay more than Rs. 1.50-2.50 crores as VPF for releasing a film in 1000-1500 screens. Independent filmmakers also grouse about increased costs due to this fee. All of them can now rightfully ask the multiplexes, ‘If Bhool Chuk Maaf can have a VPF-free release, why not our film?’.”
Also Read: Maddock Films announces theatrical release of Bhool Chuk Maaf on May 23 starring Rajkummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi
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