Kamal Hassan has set up the goal post with each of the films that he has released, but with his new film VISHWAROOPAM that is going to release just a week from now on the occasion of Pongal, he is going to redefine the paradigm of cinema viewing.

VISWAROOPAM is being released over six digital television platforms all across the country and outside is reported to generate more than 175 crore with one viewing all across the cable platforms.

VISHWAROOPAM is targeting 5% of the 50 million digital cable subscribers in the country at present, and is expected to garner more than 175 crore from this new innovative business model that Kamal Hassan has put in place. For the Tamil viewing a viewer would be charged Rs. 1000 while for Hindi viewing he would have to shell out Rs. 500. With the advent of multiplexes in India an average movie viewing outing for a family costs minimum of Rs. 1000, and to add to it the pain of traveling to the cinema halls to view a movie.

If one is able to view the movie within the cozy ambience of his or her home on the day the movie is being released most of the fans would try to exercise this option, and this is the segment that Kamal Hassan is trying to target. Well, the multiplex owners, obviously would not be happy at all with this initiative as it is the first three days after a film releases that determines the success of the film, and VISHAROOPAM releasing on the eve of Pongal could further compound the problems for them!

This new business model that Kamal Hassan is creating, which reportedly has not been experimented anywhere in the world could give a new paradigm shift to cinema viewing. It would cut down piracy for sure, as if one is able to view the film on the eve of its release, and that too an original copy rather than a mobile print or a camera print, which fan would not be ready to shell out Rs. 1000 or Rs. 500 as the case may be.

It is for the first time also that all the DTH service providers have come on one platform, and it indeed would trigger a rear guard action from the multiplex owners, as if the expected revenue is indeed generated then all the filmmakers would like to jump on to the bandwagon. Even the Diaspora around the world would adapt it with glee. Moot point would be to see whether piracy is cut down or not, as there still are viewers who cannot afford a multiplex or even DTH broadcast, so for them a pirated CD still is an option. Whatever be the case, this initiative by Kamal Hassan is going to be a tipping point for business of cinema for sure.