Shahrukh, Aamir unite to claim "fair rights for Friday nights"

Mumbai, Apr 7 (PTI) Bollywood superstars Shahrukh Khan
and Aamir Khan closed ranks Tuesday to voice the sentiments of
the Bollywood fraternity over their demand for equal share of
profit with multiplex owners.

The two actors, who are rarely seen together and are
known arch rivals, donned the role of spokespersons for the
producers and distributors at a press conference here, which
was also attended by other bigwigs of the industry.

"It is our responsibility to explain our problems and
issues to our audiences. We as entertainers feel sorry for not
being able to show new films for sometime and we are here to
explain our side of the argument," said Aamir Khan.

The bone of contention between the producers-
distributors and multiplex owners is the revenue sharing
model, with producers demanding a 50 per cent of the earnings
while the multiplex owners want to stick to the current model
of 40 to 48 per cent depending on the film's performance.

Pitching for an equal share for producers, Aamir said,
"There is a need to re-look at revenue sharing model. The
gross and net profits made by the films have increased over
the years but the share of producers and distributors remains
the same."

Similar sentiments were echoed by actor-producer Shahrukh
Khan, who said that the industry had not come together for a
"power show" but is merely asking for "fair rights for Friday
nights".

The actor added that the current situation should not be
looked upon as a "strike, embargo or deadlock".

Both the actors said that they had come together to find
a solution to the problem as the film industry wanted to end
the crisis as soon as possible.

"All we are asking for is a fair and healthy share.
All the members of the industry should benefit equally from
the profits. It should be a partnership of equals," said
Aamir.

Denying reports that producers had compared multiplex
owners to "mafia", Shahrukh said the two parties were in a
"marriage without the possibility of a divorce".

"We are like a family but perhaps a part of the family is
doing wrong," said the actor referring to the multiplex
owners' stand on profit sharing.

Objecting to the multiplex owners' argument that they
would not bear the loss of a bad film, the actor said, "The
multiplexes have no right to rate our creativity. It should be
left to the audience to decide the fate of a film. We are the
employees of the audience and not the multiplexes."

Shahrukh said that the entire industry was open to talks
with multiplex owners 24X7.

"There is no leader in this forum. We have united to
give the perspective of the film industry. It is not for the
one or two per cent of the profit that we want to loot. It is
for the equal rights for the creativity that we demand," said
Shahrukh.

Calling the film industry a "volatile business", Aamir
said, "Both parties should have equal shares and figure out
a plan to make their part of the profit viable. Producers
should not be alone to bear the brunt."

While Shahrukh pointed out that the film industry's
demand for equality was ultimately going to benefit the small
filmmakers, who were earlier forced to agree to arbitrary
conditions set by the multiplexes.

The producers fraternity is on an indefinite strike
which began on April 4 and no new films will be released until
the matter is solved. The last Bollywood release was Nagesh
Kukunoor's '8x10 Tasveer', which hit theatres on April 3.

The press conference was attended by the prominent
filmmakers and distributors like Mukesh Bhatt, Ronnie
Screwwala, Karan Johar, Yash Chopra, Vasu Bhagnani, David
Dhavan, Kunal Kohli among others. PTI TEAM