Salman Khan’s Tubelight is NOT a flop, but exhibitors and distributors suffer huge losses

Salman Khan‘s Tubelight was one of the most anticipated films of the year, however it failed to set the box office on fire. The movie has managed to earn Rs 105.86 crore in six days at the domestic market, which is less considering that it is a Salman Khan Eid release. However, with a budget of nearly Rs 80-100 crore and the sale of the music and satellite rights, the makers of Tubelight will make a lot of money by the end of the film’s lifetime run. Yes, the movie is definitely NOT a flop and in fact, the makers have pocketed more than Rs 150 crore in profits already. However, looks like someone else is suffering from huge face losses. Our trade expert, Akshaye Rathi (exhibitor and distributor), reveals to us that the trade, including the exhibitors and distributors, have lost a lot of money due to Tubelight.

We all know how the trade was banking on Salman Khan’s Tubelight. The exhibitors and distributors had paid an exorbitant price (Rs 132 crore) to buy the theatrical rights of the film. However, the film has not given the trade the opening and returns they were expecting. And before the end of Tubelight‘s lifetime run, many of them have started to report huge losses. As Akshaye revealed to us exclusively, “With the kind of standards you set for a Salman Khan film, it has been unfortunate that Tubelight has not lived up to all the hype and expectations that we all had from it. It is also extremely unfortunate that many people in the trade have lost money.” (ALSO READ – Relax Salman Khan fans, Tubelight is NOT a flop and we tell you why)

Popular trade analyst Komal Nahta also confirmed that the exhibitors and distributors have lost a lot of money. In fact, he even mentioned how a few of them have travelled to Mumbai to request some help from Salman Khan. As Komal tweeted, “Single-screens which ran TUBELIGHT are in huge losses. In Ferozabad (U.P.), two cinemas, Sant & Bharat, lost entire price of Rs 9.11 lakh. Maya cinema of Hathras (U.P.) claims, he lost all that he earned in BAHUBALI 2 & DANGAL, in TUBELIGHT alone, which he booked for Rs 4.11 lakh. Distributors of TUBELIGHT in tears. Some have come to Bombay to plead with Salman to refund them money. Salman should rise to the occasion. For all those asking, Salman is not bound by contract to refund money to Tubelight distributors. But if he does, it wud be a great gesture.” (ALSO READ – Salman Khan’s Tubelight co-star Zhu Zhu DISAPPOINTED with the film’s failure – read exclusive report)

However, there is a lesson for everyone to learn from Tubelight‘s dismal run at the box office. As Akshaye added, “I feel it is time for the entire industry to really start playing to the belief that success or failure of a film depends on the star. It ultimately depends upon the efforts and the work of the director, the writer , the people who make the film. And we have proof of it. It is not so long ago that we had seen a phenomena like Baahubali 2, where we saw two South stars who were hardly known in the Hindi film circuit before Baahubali: The Beginning came by. And the kind of business that the second film has done in the Hindi circuit, it is beyond the biggest of hits by the biggest of superstars in Bollywood. So it is time to face the reality and to understand the biggest hero of a film is the content and the script. And as long as you can get that right, then nothing can stop you.” (ALSO READ – 5 box office records of Salman Khan that Tubelight failed to make)

Anyway, what do you guys have to say about Tubelight‘s run at the box office? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section below! Also stay tuned to BollywoodLife as we get you all the latest updates about the movie right here…