The Bangladeshi film Bhalobashi Hoyni Bola was released in 10 cinemas across the country last Friday, including eight single-screen theatres and two multiplexes in Bogura and Cumilla.
However, the film has struggled to attract audiences, with its total earnings from the two multiplexes failing to cross Tk4,000 in its first six days.
Directed by Abul Kashem, the film stars newcomers Sheikh Rifat and Tanisha.
At K Screen Cineplex in Cumilla, the film received two shows on its opening day, at 5pm and 8pm.
Only nine tickets were sold for the first show, generating slightly more than Tk2,500.
No tickets have been sold for any subsequent shows, according to theatre officials.
The situation is similar at Madhuban Cineplex in Bogura. Six tickets were sold for the first show, bringing in around Tk1,000.
No further shows have taken place since then.
Madhuban owner RM Yunus Rubel said that the theatre was struggling to attract even a handful of viewers.
“There is no audience. We are sitting here with the posters up. If one or two people come, how can we run a show? Can we survive like this?” he said.
The poor performance of Bhalobashi Hoyni Bola comes amid continuing concerns over the health of Bangladesh’s cinema business, particularly outside Dhaka.
The country’s film industry remains heavily dependent on the Eid seasons, when films featuring major stars traditionally draw the largest audiences.
However, single-screen cinemas have struggled even during Eid in recent years.
Piracy has also affected the theatrical market, with several big-budget films choosing to release primarily in multiplexes.
Yet multiplexes outside Dhaka have increasingly faced difficulties in sustaining regular business as audience numbers remain low.
The weak opening of Bhalobashi Hoyni Bola further highlights the challenges faced by both new films and cinema halls in Bangladesh’s changing theatrical landscape.
