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EXCLUSIVE: “Pay VPF or we won’t release the film”: PVRInox’s last minute unreasonable demand to team Jolly LLB 3
Interestingly, the VPF fight isn’t new for the Hindi film fraternity, as earlier in 2019, Ronnie Screwvala had taken PVRInox and other chains to the Competition Commission of India. Details
It was all going smoothly for team Jolly LLB 3 in the advance booking until Wednesday evening, when PVRInox began to delist the courtroom comedy from all the ticket booking platforms. With shows going off the radar, the industry and fans started to wonder what had gone wrong. On investigating the matter, Pinkvilla has exclusively learnt that Viacom 18 (Jolly LLB 3 producer) and PVRInox are at loggerheads over the VPF issue.
A source shares, “Viacom 18 had signed an agreement with National Chains for exemption in VPF (Virtual Print Fees), and the same has been implemented over the last few years. However, in a sudden turn of events, PVRInox started to demand a Virtual Print Fee to the tune of Rs 3.50 crore from the producers of Jolly LLB 3. When the producers refused to pay the amount by putting the agreement to the forefront, the multiplex leader started to threaten them to stall the release at all their properties.”
The source also informs that the VFP is an unfair amount charged by multiplexes at an all-India level, more so when the Hollywood films are exempted. “How is it that the Hollywood films are exempt from the charges, but the Indian films have to pay a huge sum? That aside, PVRInox was well aware of the agreement with Viacom 18 about the exemption to VPF. Why is it that they are waking up to demand the amount 2 days before the release, that too after commencing the advance booking? The last-minute tactics are damaging to the film, and they are trying to get money by tapping to the vulnerabilities of the producers,” the source adds.
Interestingly, the VPF fight isn’t new for the Hindi film fraternity. It’s an ongoing battle for decades, as earlier in 2019, Ronnie Screwvala had taken PVRInox and other chains to the Competition Commission of India. PVRInox’s stance on the issue is still awaited. At the time of this article going live, the issue between the two players was on the verge of being resolved as PVRInox agreed to abide by the contract of exempting VPF to Viacom 18. “But the advances were stalled for 12 hours, and this is unfair to do at the time of release,” the source concludes.
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