Bollywood faces scrutiny as Divya Khosla calls out corporate bookings for inflating box-office numbers.
Divya Khosla, the outspoken director and producer, has once again stirred controversy in Bollywood by criticizing Alia Bhatt’s recently released film Jigra. The criticism revolves around the film allegedly using corporate bookings to artificially inflate its box-office numbers. Divya claims that this practice misleads audiences, creates an unfair advantage for star-studded films, and undermines the true measure of a movie’s success.
Divya Khosla Speaks Out
In a recent Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session, Divya Khosla stated, “People do corporate bookings and buy awards … you indulge in all of this just because you have power and money.” She emphasized that these tactics are used to create a facade of commercial success and that films like Jigra are prime examples of this trend. According to her, this practice is widespread and affects almost 90% of Bollywood releases.
Divya further explained that such inflated numbers can mislead investors, distributors, and even audiences, giving films undeserved recognition while smaller, content-driven projects struggle for visibility. She criticized the culture of leveraging money and influence instead of relying on genuine audience engagement.
What Are Corporate Bookings?
Corporate bookings involve companies buying bulk tickets for their employees, often filling entire shows in cinemas. While technically legal, Divya Khosla argues that this distorts box-office statistics. The inflated numbers create the impression that a film is a hit, regardless of the actual turnout from genuine moviegoers. This practice particularly disadvantages independent filmmakers or smaller projects that cannot compete financially.
Industry analysts point out that corporate bookings, along with advanced ticket sales, are sometimes used to manipulate opening-weekend box-office reports, giving star-driven films a head start in rankings, media coverage, and awards consideration.
Industry and Public Reaction
Divya Khosla’s comments have reignited a long-standing debate in Bollywood about the ethics of corporate bookings and inflated box-office reporting. While some industry insiders acknowledge that this is a common practice, few are willing to publicly challenge it due to the risk of backlash from influential producers and stars.
The audience reaction has been mixed, with some supporting Divya Khosla’s stance as a call for fairness and transparency, while others defend big stars like Alia Bhatt, arguing that corporate bookings are part of normal business operations. Nevertheless, the conversation has opened a broader discussion about transparency in Bollywood’s financial reporting.
The Case of Jigra
Following the release of Jigra, Divya Khosla visited a theatre and posted images claiming it was nearly empty, despite reports of successful box-office collections. She alleged that corporate bookings had artificially inflated the attendance, creating a misleading perception of the film’s popularity. This has further fueled debate about how success is measured in the Bollywood industry.
Some critics argue that corporate bookings are an accepted industry norm, while others support Divya’s call for genuine audience metrics. Her vocal stance highlights the need for more transparency and accountability in reporting film success.
Implications for Filmmakers and Audiences
- For audiences: Inflated box-office numbers may not reflect true audience preferences, making it difficult to assess a film’s actual popularity.
- For filmmakers: Independent or low-budget filmmakers face additional challenges when competing against star-driven projects that can afford corporate bulk bookings.
- For the industry: Divya Khosla’s criticism underscores the need for more transparent reporting systems to ensure that box-office success aligns with genuine audience engagement rather than financial leverage.
Conclusion
Divya Khosla’s critique of corporate bookings in Bollywood, particularly targeting Alia Bhatt’s Jigra, sheds light on a practice that has long been under scrutiny but seldom addressed publicly. Her outspoken comments call attention to the growing influence of money and power in shaping box-office narratives, raising questions about fairness, transparency, and the true measure of success in the film industry.
By highlighting these issues, Divya Khosla encourages both filmmakers and audiences to rethink how success is quantified and to advocate for more merit-based recognition in Bollywood.
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Author: Team BTP
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