Mumbai, May 4: Bollywood producers-distributors and plex owners, locked in a tussle that is costing the industry crores by the week, are considering a new revenue-sharing model to end the standoff.

Under this model, producers-distributors will get 50 per cent of the net collections in the first week, 40 per cent in the second, 30 per cent in the third and 25 per cent in the fourth week of a movie’s run at a theatre.

A decision is expected at tomorrow’s meeting between producers-distributors and multiplex managements.

“If it is accepted, we will stay afloat though the new model will bleed us. The other option for us is to shut shop,” said a multiplex chain owner. Plex owners had so far insisted on performance-based revenue sharing.

Bollywood producers and distributors have been complaining that the existing model, under which plex owners get between 55 and 70 per cent of the revenues, is skewed. The producers-distributors were demanding a 50:50 sharing of the earnings, irrespective of the cast, budget or banner. The new proposal may provide an escape route to both parties.

The producers’ lobby is finding it increasingly tough to keep its flock together. The first breach occurred with Anurag Mittal agreeing to release his cricket-centric film 99 at the plexes at the existing rates. He is expected to be penalised by the producer-distributor lobby, but Mittal is unrepentant.

“My film’s story is about cricket. If I release it after the IPL, it will affect me badly. So I relented. I will speak to the producers’ lobby. They are fighting for the right cause and I am with them on that. But my hands were tied because of financial pressures,” Mittal said.

Producers admitted the new proposal had brought relief. “We may contemplate action against producers who are surrendering to multiplexes. But we realise it may be tough to keep the flock together for a long-haul strike. The new model proposes a performance-based revenue-sharing system,” said Mukesh Bhatt, a member of the producers’ lobby spearheading the negotiations.

The deadlock has forced most producers to postpone release dates, and all movie promotions have come to a standstill. “The film industry has suffered losses of Rs 50 crore in one month. Auxiliary industries like hoardings, public relations and advertising too are bleeding. I am told their losses run up to Rs 100 crore,” a senior producer said.

Plex owners, expected to lose Rs 300 crore this quarter because of the producers’ strike and low footfalls owing to the recession, don’t want the impasse stretched, either.