🍟 Discussion: Malayalam cinema - PVR•Inox Bans Malayalayam

[Movie Lover]

Again you are wrong there. Kannada is still a small industry apart from films like KGF or Kanthara. And you should understand that none of Kannada films released in 2023 are box office successes. KGF or Kantara is just a fluke. A normal Malayalam movie has a much bigger overseas market than Kannada(Iam talking about normal films not KGF or Kanthara kind)

Our box office has the potential to at least dream of reaching 100 cr at Kerala box office alone. 2018 has proven that. There is every chance for this to achieve

The condition of Kannada films have been the same till KGF and KGF 2 released. They did not even get theatres within their state. This year too the highest grossing films at their box office are Pathaan and some Telugu movies

If a small industry like Kannada can make a KGF2 so can we

Thalayana manthram was made during a time when theatre watch was the only option. Now people have multiple options to watch a movie like say TV, OTT etc. So people will go for movies only if they demand theatre watch. If we go on making films which do not demand a theatre watch then our theatres will soon be dominated by other language films

First of all the attitude that Malayalam films will not earn ROI like its neighbours need to go. There are many big movies which are in the pipeline which will really showcase the box office potential of our industry if they do well. Till then lets wait and watch.

By the way 2018 is dubbed in other languages. If it clicks our potential will be known. Else still there are projects of DQ and Tovino coming up. So lets wait until that before you write off our industry .

And you think our industry should concentrate on content and go on producing nanma prakruthi films then the best option is open our theatres only to exhibit other language films..

If you think that our industry is small just because of the size of our state then in that case we should be smaller than Marathi, Punjabi, Oriya or Assamese industries. But that is not the case.

///Box office is not important? Our industry is being looked down upon by our neighbours because we do not have a real big industry hit like say BB2/KGF. Nanma /Prakruthi films should also be there but festival time is not the right time to release small movies//

I have a difference in opinion here and I very well understand it may not be a popular one . Why do we even worry about competing with a Tamil , Telugu or nowadays even Kannada budget and revenue wise as our industry is insignificant when compared to those numbers as ROI on an investment is much less here . In fact malayalam movies were never known for that - its our content , execution and technical quality was what known for . Thats not what I want malayalam to compete with them but to make movies which are true to our self . Also I dont think any of these state people have a sensibility to appreciate a malayalam content (in theatre I mean , OTT have a different crowd and there are takers for those movies) like we do for a KGF for eg - thats not a worth fight . Case in point is 2018 - I am not sure about the numbers but the Rest of India release - how many of the other state crowd are watching it - Apart from the malayalam audience of these states are these places really watching 2018 even when its a Industry hit here (like what a KGF did in Kerala )

[Movie Lover]

I feel Aneesh Upasanas arguments as too silly. Theatres will play movies which get maximum footfalls. For past 4-5 months they have been struggling to meet both ends meet. So 2018 is one movie which was like a heavy raid during a draught. Aneesh Upasanas producer would have already earned a table profit via OTT rights . So even if it does not release in theatre the producer has nothing to lose.

But theatre owners need to survive their only income is ticket sales and footfalls. If Aneesh Upasana wants his movie to get a prime time slot in theatres let him make a movie worth theatre watch. I have not seen the movie but I have heard average to negative reviews. And moreover even if the movie is good there is nothing in the movie which will attract audiences to the theatres as per the trailer which I saw.

And regarding other language films that too do do not have much of footfalls in Kerala except for films like PS2/Pathan

And the ticket price of common man also needs to be considered. When they are struggling to meet their monthly household expenses you cannot expect them to spend Rs.1000 to go with their family for movies some of which are of the level of TV serials/short films.

///Festival is a time when people watch maximum movies . So whichever industry it is they release hyped star studded films which demand theatrical watch . For example Vijay/Suriya/Ajith films are released during a festival season either Diwali /Pooja /Pongal. They will not go and release a movie with say a lesser known actor like say Vishnu Vishal/ Goutam Karthik///

So then thats a collective failure of the industry where there is no proper planning , coordination among different stars / makers a release - thats not a fault on the so called small movies that other biggies do not want to take that opportunity. If I am not wrong Tamil and Telugu industries plan well in advance what their major festival releases are , avoid costly conflicts - here in our industry which big movie is planned well in advance with a fixed release and work towards that - are we even clear which are the onam releases ? So while there are many such issues to be fixed we cant blame small movies and smaller leads when they attempt to get a release then. Then people like you (sorry if I am naming you Movie Lover as I happen to see you are very active on that subject here ) kind of naming and shaming them , suggesting that theatre owners have to cherry pick the releases is unfair . I am not talking about majority of the craps getting released but there are good movies getting buried just because it may not be demand a theatre watch for you , or may not suite your sensibility as its a 'nanma' or 'prakruthi' movie is what I was questioning . As a minimum we as movie lovers need to acknowldeg that fact

I dont think theatre owners are completely blameless here . They are pure opportunists -cant entirely blame them as its a business too. They have no commitments to industry , they play a non lanuage movie over a malayalam one if they have footfall . Saw the complaiant Aneesh Upasana raised -I have no idea how his movie is, lets say its a crap one but he has a fair point -what if theatre owners are reluchant to give a more 'family friendly' time to his target audience because they want to capitalise the 2018 wave - which family wants to watch such a movie for a 13 30 show .I am not an industry person or I dont have a solution but collectively there has to be some measures to ensure that deserving movies have to get enough support in theatres even if they are not the hyped ones . Otherwise makers will be reluctant to do a "Purushapretham" , or malayalam industry may never get a "Thalayanamanthram" or "Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu" or a "Maheshinte Prathikaram" in future . That will be our loss , not to watch such a movie in theatre . Till then as a minimum stop demeaning them

[kevin]

cinemayude nilavaram ennokke theatre owners paranjathu oru lost in translation scenario poleye thonnunnulloo. cinema demand cheyyunna oru richness illathondavum. shots thanne different alle...nammude sathyan anthikkad shots ellam movie shots aanu. serial ethra vannittum athanu angeru survive cheythathu. athinu vendunna technicians investment okke undavum.
but how are u going to measure this. athonnum nadakkilla. producer parayum nhan cash mudakkiyathu ingane karuthiyalla.. directorum athu thanne parayum nhan othiri effort eduthu thanne cheythath.

exhibitors n film fraternity kore padam ingane vannappol avarde personal discussionil vanna karyam public aayi paranju poyathavum. karyamilla.

[monsach]

@movielover

2018 is an outlier or to borrow your word a fluke . Strictly personal opinion which I understand is an unpopular opinion , it’s not only the merit of the movie alone make it this success but the emotion of malayalee about flood 2018. You are not going to recreate that success easily (or no one can make a movie saying I am going to make it as successful as 2018 , it just happens )

so according to you only movies with a certain production value should get theatres - production value not necessary means quality and creative movie making but a big budget. Even if that’s true how many such movies an industry produce a year - 1 or 2 ? And how many days they hold on theatres - a month maximum ? What will theatres do other days ?

while I agree we have far too many low quality movies (by quality I mean poor screen writing and making ) we going to apply the yardstick of “quality” and decide whether it’s a theatre watch or not is a problematic one . IMHO any industry fails to ensure there is not enough time and space for movies like Purushapretham or Iratta in theatre is not a good sign . Industry collectively and we audience have to change. Rather than one 100 crores + 2018 , I would much prefer to see 5 20 + crore movies

[Movie Lover]

But then the makers well understood that emotion and made a movie which every malayalee can emotionally relate to which others could not

@movielover

2018 is an outlier or to borrow your word a fluke . Strictly personal opinion which I understand is an unpopular opinion , it’s not only the merit of the movie alone make it this success but the emotion of malayalee about flood 2018. You are not going to recreate that success easily (or no one can make a movie saying I am going to make it as successful as 2018 , it just happens )

I said duriing 'festival season' . You didnt read that. Let others release during off season times and during festivals big hyped movies should release so that they collect well . I have been saying this several times but I dont know whether you read my statement or whether you are not able to interpret. Again Iam saying 'Festival season should be only for hyped star movies which have a theatrical watch' Others can release during off season times. Hope its more clear now

so according to you only movies with a certain production value should get theatres - production value not necessary means quality and creative movie making but a big budget. Even if that’s true how many such movies an industry produce a year - 1 or 2 ? And how many days they hold on theatres - a month maximum ? What will theatres do other days ?

we had eight or ten movies which collected more than 20 crores at Kerala BO alone last year which is 2022. But then every one complained we do not have an industry hit we do not have a 100 crore club we do not have a pan indian movie blah blah. Then I was the one who replied that we have consistent hits every month unlike other film industries like Kannada which had two pan indian movies and one or two super hits while others were all flops.

This shows the double standard of malayalees. They call Mollywood bombwood gundwood etc but they are tight lipped about other film industries like Kannada which did not have a single hit this year till date. Two big projects like Kabzaa and Kranti bombed and rest everything are the ones which we call serial level films. So which industry should be called bombwood? you answer

Whatever good happens a malayali speaks only negative about their own films

while I agree we have far too many low quality movies (by quality I mean poor screen writing and making ) we going to apply the yardstick of “quality” and decide whether it’s a theatre watch or not is a problematic one . IMHO any industry fails to ensure there is not enough time and space for movies like Purushapretham or Iratta in theatre is not a good sign . Industry collectively and we audience have to change. Rather than one 100 crores + 2018 , I would much prefer to see 5 20 + crore movies

[/QUOTE]

[monsach]

///I said duriing 'festival season' . You didnt read that. Let others release during off season times and during festivals big hyped movies should release so that they collect well . I have been saying this several times but I dont know whether you read my statement or whether you are not able to interpret.///

I get that - my point was WHAT IF no hyped / big movies lined up for festival season like Vishu / Easter / Eid of this season how could that be a small movies problem . That’s an industry problem that should not be used to undermine other movies which happened to use that window

[monsach]

///This shows the double standard of malayalees. They call Mollywood bombwood gundwood etc but they are tight lipped about other film industries//

why do you generalise ? No one has appointed you as a spokesperson for moving loving malayalees or a vast majority of malayalees dont care about the bragging rights. Ok i should not say about others but I can say about myself - personally I don’t care about what wood a movie is made if the movie is good. I don’t care whether a movie made 100 crores or 200 crores but I do care about movies at least getting Break even for the sustainability of the industry and I do care about good movies not getting appreciated / noticed because every one is behind hypes and bragging rights

by the way none of this is personal to you brother . What I am generally disappointed is the obsession with these crores where none of us have any stake in the game and people like you with a name “movie lover” is very quick in undermining some movies and seems to be standing for some unhealthy trends . Do celebrate good movies , let more creative film makers make movies which are pathbreaking and enjoyable , let none of the other constraints like star , budget do not hold us from appreciating good movies

[Movie Lover]

///I said duriing 'festival season' . You didnt read that. Let others release during off season times and during festivals big hyped movies should release so that they collect well . I have been saying this several times but I dont know whether you read my statement or whether you are not able to interpret.///

I get that - my point was WHAT IF no hyped / big movies lined up for festival season like Vishu / Easter / Eid of this season how could that be a small movies problem . That’s an industry problem that should not be used to undermine other movies which happened to use that window

I blame only the poor planning of our film industry. Like for example pachuvum...could have been released during April 21 but they went ahead and released along with PS 2 which is suicidal. Don't know whether it's overconfidence or ignorance

There should be a fine balance between small content driven films and big budget mass films. All genres of films are required for an industry to sustain. As simple as that

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[Movie Lover]

There were many reasons . Two years almost wasted due to pandemic and theatre closure and covid restrictions like 50% capacity etc.

Theatres were active only for three years after 2016 when PM released. Athinu shesham lockdown full year and reopened in 2021 and after two or three months again lockdown. And then 50% capacity.

Theatres were fully active only in 2022 after BP released. Before that Kurup and Hridayam but again with restrictions

And more than an industry hit or 100 cr club in a year and remaining films being flops we need more consistent hits like somebody said 20 cr clubs or at least 15 crore clubs every month like how it was in 2022 . In 2022 we did not have an all time grosser or anything. But we had consistent hits almost every month except for June .

That is also required for industry to sustain.

Angana puli Veenu hopefully for another industry hit we shouldn’t have to wait another 7 years zz

[Movie Lover]

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainm...am-box-office/

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