Nowadays, if youโ€™re following the Indian box office, youโ€™ve probably come across terms likeย โ€˜block bookingโ€™, also known asย โ€˜corporate bookingโ€™ย orย โ€˜mass bookingโ€™. This term became a hot topic again whenย Sky Forceย hit theatres on January 24, 2025. According to the producers,ย Sky Forceย nettedย INR 124.60 croreย in India (till now). However, since tickets for the first few days were sold at heavily discounted rates, the reported collections were based on full ticket prices, alongside bulk seat reservations in many theatres.ย โ€˜Sky Forceโ€™ Box Office: Trade Analyst Komal Nahta Accuses Akshay Kumar-Veer Pahariyaโ€™s Movie of Massive โ€˜Block Bookingโ€™ and Inflating Collections.

Evenย Chhaava, which is releasing on February 14, 2025, has been accused of massive block booking. Recently, trade analystย Komal Nahtaย uploaded a video explaining how the makers ofย Sky Forceย inflated their collections and hinted at similar practices forย Chhaava. But itโ€™s unfair to pin the blame solely on these films. In the past, movies likeย Pathaan,ย Jawan,ย Salaar,ย Dunki,ย Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3,ย Singham Again,ย Animal, andย Stree 2ย have all been accused of inflating their collections using block booking. In fact, this malpractice dates back to theย 1960s, though not on the massive scale we see today, where figures run into crores.

So, what exactly is this practice, and why are trade experts criticising it?

What is Block Booking?

Block booking is when a movieโ€™s production house or distributors buy a large number of tickets themselves to create the illusion of high demand, even if actual audiences arenโ€™t showing up. However, if you visit the theatre in person, you might still find seats available that appear booked on platforms likeย BookMyShow. This tactic is easier to pull off when platforms offer discounts, such asย INR 99 per ticket.

Komal Nahta on 'Sky Force'

Technically, theatre owners donโ€™t lose out, as the deficit is covered by the producers. However, this practice harms the industry in the long run.

Why is Block Booking Seen as a Bad Practice?

Supporters of block booking argue that it creates a perception of high footfall, sparkingย FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)ย among audiences and encouraging them to book tickets. However, there are darker motives behind this practice.

Producers often use block booking to mislead investors into thinking a film is performing well, helping them secure more funding for future projects. It also serves as an ego boost for stars and directors, allowing them to maintain their high salaries based on inflated success. Unfortunately, this reduces screen availability for smaller, independent films that genuinely need the exposure.

Trade Analyst on Chhaava's Alleged Block Bookings

Worse still, if investors invest in future projects based on exaggerated claims, this could lead to financial fraud and even legal lawsuits. This is exactly what happened in South Korea during its biggest box office scandal inย 2023.

South Koreaโ€™s Box Office Scandal of 2023

In 2023, several South Korean films were accused of manipulating box office numbers to make their movies appear more successful than they actually were. Tactics includedย block booking,ย fake screenings, and collusion with theatre chains likeย CGV,ย Megabox, andย Lotte Cinemaย to inflate earnings. Sound familiar?ย โ€˜Sky Forceโ€™ Box Office Verdict โ€“ Hit or Flop: Akshay Kumar-Veer Pahariyaโ€™s Movie Faces Scrutiny Over Its Collections โ€“ Hereโ€™s What Happened!

Overย 300 filmsย were found guilty of inflating their collections. The fallout was severe: production companies and theatre chains wereย heavily fined, and films involved wereย disqualified from awards. Some individuals even facedย arrests. While many in the industry defended the practice as a long-standing tradition, others believed the scandal would bring much-needed transparency to box office reporting.

Block booking isnโ€™t just about inflating numbers - itโ€™s about creating a false narrative that harms the industryโ€™s credibility. While it might benefit a few in the short term, it undermines trust, stifles smaller films, and risks legal consequences. As audiences and investors become more aware, the pressure is on for greater transparency and fairness in box office reporting.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2025 04:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).