Richa Chadha reacts to Homebound screen shortage, says Masaan had even less: ‘Monopoly of a few players on the screens…’

Actor-turned-producer Richa Chadha recently opened up about Homebound’s screen count issue, drawing parallels to her earlier collaboration with Ghaywan titled Masaan, which reportedly received even fewer showings. On her X handle, she responded to a tweet criticising the limited release of Homebound: “Hmmm… the film got so many shows, precisely because the producer had clout. I think we had fewer shows for Masaan. Each screen, each KDM costs money. Each show costs money. Exhibitors weigh that against literally the number of people in the hall that buy samosas.”

Chadha also highlighted the impact of high ticket prices on footfall: “And fewer people go because the ticket prices are so high… single screens with affordable pricing have vanished over time. The producer sits with losses for the film LONG after the awards are won, actors gain markets and credibility, and everyone moves on.”

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She went on to list systemic issues affecting independent films, citing “exorbitant ticket prices, the P&A bottleneck, fewer screens, and the monopoly of a few players on the screens” as factors contributing to the limited reach of Homebound and similar films.

Her post sparked multiple responses from netizens. One user wrote: “The big guns of Bollywood propped up these multi-screens with exorbitant prices. In the south, people still go to theatres because ticket prices are capped. I saw Homebound in a PVR at just Rs 199 here.” Another added: “All of it… it is a system designed to enrich only a few who are part of inner circles.”

In contrast, commercial blockbusters enjoy massive releases. Kantara 2, which recently crossed the Rs 300 crore mark in India, had over 7,000 shows across India, while Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, also backed by Karan Johar, received nearly 3,000 shows. Meanwhile, Homebound had only about 400 shows across 200–225 screens at release.

Film trade analyst Komal Nahta recently told SCREEN: “The makers released Homebound on limited screens because it is not a usual commercial film. They wanted it to grow through word-of-mouth publicity.”

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