Block Booking Accusations on Game Changer, Sky Force, and Chhaava, Films

Block Booking: It’s not uncommon to see a message saying that movie tickets are "out of stock" on booking websites and apps, but when we visit the cinema halls, we often find empty seats. This leads to a valid question: if the seats are vacant, why do the websites show that the show is sold out? This scenario has given rise to terms like "block booking" and "fan club booking."

What is Block Booking?

Block booking refers to the practice where film producers buy their own movie tickets in bulk and distribute them among others. On the other hand, fan club booking involves actors paying to have their fans book tickets for their films or buying tickets themselves to make it appear that the film is sold out.

Accusations from Trade Analyst Komal Nahta

Recently, trade analyst Komal Nahta has accused filmmakers of inflating their films’ box-office collections to attract more viewers to theaters. He claims that ticket booking platforms show shows as "house full," but when people actually visit the cinema, they find empty seats. Nahta has specifically pointed fingers at the makers of Sky Force, starring Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya, accusing them of using block booking to create the illusion of better box-office performance.

Earlier, similar accusations were made against the makers of Game Changer (starring Ram Charan) which was released on January 10. And now, such allegations are being made about Chhaava, the film starring Vicky Kaushal, which releases today, February 14. But why do these accusations surface? And what benefits do filmmakers gain from such practices? Let’s find out.

The Benefits of Block Booking

Block booking is often done for several reasons, with the main objective being to create an illusion of high demand for the film.

Here’s how it works: Imagine an actor endorses several brands. The actor might ask one of these brands to purchase 10,000 tickets for the film. In return, the brand might get benefits such as waived fees or a free advertisement shoot. Even if these tickets are not actually used (and the theaters remain empty), showing them as "sold" creates the illusion of high demand and interest in the film.

For instance, if the actual ticket price is ₹250 but the producer offers a ₹200 cashback, the audience only pays ₹50. However, the ticket is reported as having sold for ₹250, thus inflating the box-office collection. This creates the perception that the film has earned more, helping to generate greater buzz and marketing, even though the ticket was sold at a much lower price. The producers of Sky Force allegedly used this strategy recently.

Block Booking: A Long-Standing Practice

According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, block booking has been in practice since the 1970s and 1980s. He explains that it was once called "feeding" in the industry. He mentions that some major actors used to buy tickets in bulk for certain theaters to display a "house full" board, thus creating a positive image for the film. Back in the day, films would release in one city first and then in other cities after a week. While the public was aware of these strategies, the industry continued to use them.

Similar allegations were raised against the makers of Game Changer (starring Ram Charan and Kiara Advani),  where they claimed the film had earned ₹186 crore on its premiere day. However, Box Office India revealed that the actual worldwide earnings were only ₹80 crore. Similarly, the makers of Sky Force claimed the film earned ₹80 crore in its first week, but Komal Nahta stated that the actual figure was ₹40 crore, with the rest of the earnings coming from block bookings.

Following the controversy surrounding Game Changer and Sky Force, similar accusations are now being directed at Chhaava. These allegations not only raise questions about the credibility of the film industry but also mislead the audience. By inflating box-office collections, filmmakers create a false perception of success, which can ultimately undermine the trust of moviegoers and the public in the industry.

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