India, Nov. 6 -- A good benchmark for an Indian film, in terms of wide release, is 10,000 screens globally. Most tentpole Indian films - the RRRs and Jawans of the industry - secure 6000-7000 screens in India and 3000+ overseas. That is what a wide international release means. That is why Ramayana was considered historic. Sony Pictures gave it 50,000 screens outside India, 15 times what an Indian film normally gets. Even in India, the film managed 8000-9000 screens, higher than any film in the multiplex era. On top of that, it had positive reactions and reviews in its favour.

Yet, it fell short of that expected historic start. In fact, it fell short of even Adipurush, the much-derided and maligned adaptation of the epic from three years ...