Star Cineplex, the country’s first multiplex with 26 halls nationwide, is a popular choice for young audiences and discerning moviegoers. Its popularity has made it a preferred venue for film releases. However, producers of two Eid releases, ‘Rakkhosh’ and ‘Prince: Once Upon a Time in Dhaka’, have raised multiple complaints with the TIMES of Bangladesh regarding the cinema chain.
Rakkhosh producer Shahrin Akter Sumi said, “Our film was running housefull at Star’s Shimanto Shambhar branch, but the shows were suddenly stopped. In other branches, the website still shows housefull screenings, yet we are not receiving the housefull accounts. Additionally, the Finlay Square branch in Chittagong is screening Hollywood films instead of our release.”
Meanwhile, Prince producer Shirin Sultana added, “The show at the Shimanto Shambhar branch on Wednesday, 25 March, at 1:50 pm was abruptly cancelled due to a reported AC failure. We were also unable to screen the film at this branch for four days because of DCP issues. Who will take responsibility for the financial losses caused?”
Responding to the complaints, Star Cineplex’s AGM of Media and Marketing, Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, said, “Decisions on the number of shows are made by senior management. If there is sufficient audience demand, the number of screenings is increased rather than reduced.”
In the past, we have prioritised Bengali films over Hollywood releases due to popular demand. AC breakdowns are beyond anyone’s control, but we work to resolve them as quickly as possible. Screening Hollywood films is not a new practice for us,” he added.
