Yesterday, October 26, Bollywood Hungama reported that the much-loved Mohra (1994), starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Raveena Tandon, would re-release in cinemas on Diwali, thereby arriving in the same week as the much-awaited Ramayana. Mohra’s director, Rajiv Rai, spoke exclusively to Bollywood Hungama while he is in Koh Samui, Thailand, for a function and made some important clarifications regarding the re-release plans.
Rajiv Rai said, “Yes, it is true that Mohra is being re-released, but in a very, very limited and small way on single screens around the country. It will continue taking the rounds of different centres over a period of six months or so. So, will my latest film Zora (which re-released on October 23). Maybe my other old films might follow suit.”
Rajiv Rai also revealed, “These films are not going to release in PVR or other multiplex chains where ticket prices are steep and also because the VPF (Virtual Print Fee) charged by cinemas is high. Old films have been watched a million times and, in reality, the business is negligible. I am just doing this as an exercise. Of course, sometimes repeat-run films do very well, but it’s rare. You have to continuously move the films around India. If you do that, the collections can add up to a respectable total over time.”
As for reports that Mohra is clashing with Ramayana, Rajiv Rai clarified, “I’m not coming against Ramayana. Because everyone has moved away from Diwali, there’s an opening in small centres and I’m trying to take advantage of that. Also, it’s an auspicious date to start something. Anyway, Ramayana cannot book all the cinemas in the country.”
He further emphasized, “There may not even be a cinema for Mohra in Mumbai and hence, there’s no clash with any film. These old films are exhausted, but there’s always an interest among a certain class of audience. There are people who want to visit big screens for old films and for them, we are going to re-release Mohra.”
Also Read: BREAKING: Akshay Kumar’s Mohra to CLASH with Ranbir Kapoor-Yash’s Ramayana this Diwali; Gupt, Tridev, Yudh and Vidhaata re-releases also planned
