Dubai: In what could be a major concern for the recession-hit Indian film industry, Bollywood movies are apparently being edged out by Hollywood films in the Gulf.

For the first time in Qatar, Hollywood films beat Bollywood and became the top revenue earners during the first eight months of this year.

American films accounted for 62 per cent revenue while Indian films, including Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil, accounted for only 24 per cent and Arabic films generated 12 per cent from January to August 2002, the 'Gulf Times' daily reported.

The figures could be a matter of concern for the Indian cinema as overseas rights, including that from the Gulf, was a major source of income.

In 1996, Indian films had 72 per cent share, while Hollywood had 24 per cent and Arabic four per cent, Abdulrahman Mohsen al-Mokkadam, general manager of Qatar Cinema and Film Distribution Company, which runs 10 cinemas, told the daily.

Hollywood's share possibly went up as the company could bring latest blockbusters like 'Spiderman', 'Men in Black II' and 'Scorpion King', he added.

While the availability of Arabic films had improved over the years, Bollywood, world's major movie industry based in Mumbai, had been facing a lot of problems, and most of the big budget films failing at the box office, he said.

PTI