Note: This article was first published way back in 2007.
Indian Box office verdicts are usually confusing. A few movies are called Blockbusters by the media even though they are just Semi-hit to Hit. A few movies which go into overflow are termed Flops.
Also many of you might have wondered on what basis a verdict is given out on a movie. How does the trade define a movie as a Hit, Flop, Superhit, Blockbuster. Hopefully this article will clear all your doubts.
Gross collections – Total collections at the box office.
Nett Gross (Raw collections) – Is the total gross minus entertainment tax which is usually around 30%. When the government decides to waive off the taxes of a certain film, it goes tax-free. In which case, no entertainment taxes will be paid by the producers / distributors.
Circuit: The area for which a distributor buys the distribution rights for a film for a period of (generally) 5 or 7 or 10 years.
Ratio: The price for which a film is sold for Bombay circuit. Prices for all other circuits are determined as a fixed percentage of the ratio. For example, Delhi-U.P. is usually 80 to 85% of the ratio. But in the case of action films, which have a bigger market in North India, Delhi-U.P. may be sold for 100% of the ratio.
Flop: If a film cant even cover its investment by the distributor, it is termed a flop.
Average: If a film manages to simply recover its cost, it is an average fare.
Commission Earner: When a film recovers the investment and, over and above that, gets in revenues of 25% more, it is termed a commission earner. Thus, if the distributor?s total investment in a film is Rs. 2 crore, and it does a business of Rs. 2.50 crore, it is termed a commission earner. 25% of Rs. 2 crore is Rs. 50 lakh which is the amount of commission which belongs to the distributor to cover his expenses of releasing the film.
Overflow: When a film crosses the commission mark, the revenues thereafter are to be shared between the producer and distributor. The producer gets a share in the overflow business, generally fifty-fifty. Such sharing makes the film an overflow film. Overflow films can be further categorised as under, depending on the quantum of overflow.
Semi-Hit: A film which does a business that is double the distributor’s investment in it, is termed a semi-hit. In such a case, the producer gets handsome overflow from the distributor.
Hit: If a film more than doubles its investment in the distributor’s hands, it is deemed to be a hit.
Super-Hit: If the returns on a film are much more than double the investment, it is termed a super-hit.
Blockbuster: Returns are almost triple the investment.
ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER: When returns are more than triple the investment i.e more than 300%.
Really good one, explains the stuff in detail.
What if a film does business of more than 1000%?
AATTBB ?
If chennai express cross 205cr mark then it will become atbb, its almost certain, its interesting to see will ce break 3i record with in 2nd week or take some more time, 200cr club is waiting for king khan.
@RAJ..Then it will be called….”SUPER DOOPER ALL TIME BLOCKBUSTER”.
THEN @INDICINE !! Why you declared RA.ONE HIT….
After all its indian box office business only 114 CRE AND BUDGET IS MORE THEN ITS COLLECTION..
I have been asking for this for quite some time now. Thanks Indicine
ra-one was flop according to this. thanks for the details anyways.
@roy
the worldwide collection of ra one is 240crore….which is double than its cost.
dont forget the overseas collection of srk movies…
disaster: almost no revenues at all
flop: revenues cant recover even the budget
average: r hardly recovered its budget
semi-hit: revenues are double of the budget
hit: revenues are more than double of the budget for the distributor
superhit: revenues are more than the double for the producer
blockbuster revenues are 3 times of the budget
all time blockbuster: revenues are more than 3 times of the budget
overlook
Commission Earner and overflow cause they are redundant
Indicine….then y aashiqui2 is not all time blockbuster…buisness was 500%.
@jatt
I know the overseas collection of ra.one…
But remember SHHRUKH Khan privious -JAB TAK HAI JAAN & DON 2 both movie overseas BLOCKBUSTER but in INDIA both movie was verdict only HIT…
TI mean to say overseas market is not important to box office indai for verdict
@indicine admin..
Can you explain what is lifetime called for a movie?
its mean by all show for a movie for single show also counted..
Already lifetime for BMB declared but movie is still running in theaters.
@indicine:so how much collection is required to be blockbuster in case of k3 and d3? ?
If a film with 200 cr budget collect 210 cr in india. It will be called atbb.
Then why Aashiqui 2 is not being termed as ATBB ?
It was made on a budget of 8 cr and collection 10 times 85 cr o.O
@Indicine, as per you
Semi-Hit: A film which does a business that is double the distributor�s investment in it, is termed a semi-hit. In such a case, the producer gets handsome overflow from the distributor.
Hit: If a film more than doubles its investment in the distributor�s hands, it is deemed to be a hit.
Super-Hit: If the returns on a film are much more than double the investment, it is termed a super-hit.
If that is the case, then Kai Po Che which had a budget of 30 cr only collected 49 cr, then why did you give the status as superhit?
Very good article but you missed Disaster,Below Avg,Above Avg as these terms were also in general use
chennai express budget is 63 cr. So it need more than 189 cr to become ATTB. Already ce collected 182 cr. So it is 200% sure it will be a ATTB.
@nipun k3 needs 250cr and d3 needs 200cr to be named as blockbust. 300cr plus make atbb which is impossible, anything less than 150cr is average grosser.
Ra.One is flop. Jab tab hai Jaan is average and Chennai Express is just super hit. In the third week, CE will drops. It will not break the Ek tha tiger and 3 Idiots records. CE is useless and brainless movie where as 3 Idiots and Dabangg were marvellous films. CE will not become ATBB for sure. It will not run in the theatres for long period and only hakla’s fans watched the film.
CE will not cross the 3Idiots record. CE will not become ATBB because except hakla’s fans nobody watched the film. CE will not run for long period like 3-Idiots or Dabangg.
It means Chillar Party is an “All time blockbuster”;-)
sunny deol best action hero of world……
aashiqui2 with the budget of 9 cr crossed 100 cr why is it just a blockbuster
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