Things look bleak for Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag . The film will lose at least Rs 16 crore out of the total of Rs 22 crore that have gone into the buying of the film.

Trade pundits say, “The all-India distribution rights of the film were bought by Bharatbhai Shah for approximately Rs 16 crore, he will lose nothing less than Rs 5 crore in the deal. Luckily for him, he has sold a few territories to other distributors and recovered close to Rs 7.5 crore.”

Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag opened to about a 35 per cent opening, which dropped to about 20 per cent by the end of the third show on the first day of its release. It is learnt that the only place the film has done some decent business is Uttar Pradesh.

Otherwise, the film is a complete disaster in Ramu’s own territory of Hyderabad. In Mumbai too, which is Ramu’s stronghold, it has been learnt that Bharat Shah, who has distributed the film will lose about Rs 4 crore.

“In a film theatre, with a capacity of 450 people, only about 25 to 30 people were present. Out of that, ten walked out after the interval,” said an exhibitor.

Aag missed two shows on the first day of its release in Nizam. “The prints of the film could not reach the theatres on time which resulted in cancellation of the first two shows,” said an insider.

Ponty Chadha, the distributor of the film in UP and Delhi has apparently bought the rights of the film at about Rs 3 crore, the only recovery he will have is from UP where the film is doing a decent business. But he will lose at least Rs 2 crore,” says Amod Mehra, trade analyst.

Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag is losing in almost every territory, Says Sanjay Ghai of Mukta films, “Every distributor will lose at least 50 per cent in this film, looking at the way the collections are going, the film is likely to be pulled out from theatres too.”

The film has apparently been sold for about Rs 70 lakh in the Central Provinces. “The distributor will lose nothing less than Rs 30 lakh looking at the way things stand today. Besides unlike the original Sholay , which picked up business in the third week, this version of the film will not be able to stay adrift even till next week,” said a distributor.

“The film has been sold in Assam and Orissa at a price of Rs 8 lakh but recovery of money won’t be possible in those territories too,” adds the distributor.

In Bihar, the film was sold at about Rs 60 lakh. It will incur a loss of Rs 35 lakh in that territory. Even in Bengal the distributors stands to lose Rs 30 lakh.

(source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)