Another Onam season is around the corner, and traditionally, there is no better time for the film exhibition business to flourish in Kerala. Staying true to recent trends, it is yet another crowded Onam, despite one of the biggies backing out at the last minute.
The stage was set for an explosive three-way clash between Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Khalifa, Dulquer Salmaan’s I'm Game and Nivin Pauly’s Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, before the makers of the Dulquer-starrer decided to push its release by two weeks to September 3. Though naturally disappointing for the actor's fans, the postponement has evoked a mixed response among industry insiders, theatre owners and other stakeholders.
Even without I'm Game, there is enough to look forward to at the Kerala box office. Other-language biggies such as Suriya's Vishwanath and Sons and Yash's Toxic are also eyeing a share of the pie. Additionally in the mix are Vismaya Mohanlal's Thudakkam and the Tamil actioner DC, both of which are already faring well in theatres.
Room for everyone?
With so many films in the race, the primary concern is whether the Kerala market is big enough to accommodate them all. Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation chairman and producer Liberty Basheer believes the concerns are valid. "When too many major films release simultaneously, it's always a tough scenario. With one of them out now, theatres can offer each film a reasonable number of screenings and let audiences choose between them. It is also beneficial for distributors, as the films do not have to compete for the same audience at the same time," he says.
A PVR representative agrees, calling I'm Game's postponement a "blessing in disguise". He says, "It's a promising film with strong potential to fare better when it comes unopposed in September. That way, there is also some breathing space for the Onam releases."
However, Linto Davis, owner of Vanitha Cineplex in Ernakulam, and Vipin Thulasidharan, manager of Aries Plex SL Cinemas in Thiruvananthapuram, offer a different take. They believe there is always room for multiple releases during the festival season.
"It's the vacation season, so families will flock to theatres in large numbers. I wish I'm Game had also been released as originally planned, which would have made it more exciting. But thankfully, the gap isn't too long, and September already looks promising. I'm also hearing Law and Order might come for Onam. You can’t dismiss any film. They all can coexist here, provided the content resonates with the audience," says Linto.
The family advantage
A general perception about festival releases is that family-oriented films have an advantage. However, the last two Onam seasons have challenged that idea. The success of films such as Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and Kishkindha Kaandam, which did not exactly fit the mould of conventional family cinema, is a good example. "Lokah had 6 am shows in our theatres and families consistently dominated these shows," recalls Linto. He also points out that audience preferences vary depending on the region. "In cities, people will watch all kinds of films. But in rural areas, they largely prefer films that offer theatrical experiences," he says.
Shimji PC, who owns Pee Cee Talkies in Mukkom, Kozhikode, sounds hopeful about the season ahead, and says, "All these films have big names involved, but with different kinds of appeal. For theatre owners, ultimately, it is not just about the number of releases. It is about whether those films can bring audiences back to theatres and sustain the momentum through the festive period.”
K Vijayakumar, chief patron of the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK), puts it more bluntly. "Bethlehem Kudumba Unit certainly has an advantage," he says. He adds that family audiences generally prefer colourful entertainers, giving Suriya's film a good chance as well. "But you also can't write off Khalifa. Action films will always have takers," he stresses.
While agreeing that family audiences will play an important role in determining the success of festival releases, the PVR representative says viewing patterns also depend on the genre. "From what we have observed, people love to experience action films from single screens, whereas families prefer multiplexes," he says.
The other contenders
While much of the attention is on the two major Malayalam releases, films such as DC, Thudakkam, Vishwanath and Sons and Toxic could also make a major impact at the box office. Interestingly, all these films belong to different genres, giving audiences more options.
Linto says it is important not to judge a film too early, while citing the examples of the Tamil films DC and Blast, another sleeper hit in Kerala this year. "I didn't know much about these films initially, and we started with minimal shows. But the word of mouth was so overwhelming that we are now playing nine shows a day for DC," he says.
Yash, who enjoys a huge fan base in Kerala following the success of KGF, is returning to the screens after a long gap with Toxic. There is considerable curiosity around the film, though exhibitors are still cautious about predicting its performance. "Toxic is difficult to assess purely from its trailer because it appears to be something different. We will have to wait and see how audiences respond once it is released. The production quality and scale are evident, and the actors involved naturally create expectations," says Shimji.
Liberty Basheer, meanwhile, feels Thudakkam has not lived up to expectations, while praising DC's performance. "The opening for Thudakkam has not been as strong as we expected, and the film itself wasn't that great. A significant section of the audience seems to have come out of curiosity to see Mohanlal's daughter rather than purely because of the film," he says.
"Whereas DC has brought in a good number of audiences and is now playing in more theatres than Thudakkam in several places, with two or three additional screens. It is currently helping theatres sustain their shows."
Keeping the momentum
There is a common sentiment within the industry that Malayalam cinema has been inconsistent at the box office this year. While there have been exceptional hits such as Vaazha 2 and Drishyam 3, several much-hyped films, including Patriot, Pallichattambi, Kattalan and i, Nobody, have failed to live up to expectations.
"The graph has been fluctuating," says the PVR representative. "January and February were unusually off-colour, but April and May made up for it, followed by another dull June. It was towards the end of July, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, that things picked up."
With the Onam releases lined up, exhibitors are expecting a stronger festive season. "We are expecting revenue generation to be at least 20-30% higher than last year. This is based on the track record of the names involved in these films and the overall talk around them," he says.
Linto also agrees that the market has picked up in recent weeks. “August has so far been good thanks to DC and Thudakkam, and we are hoping to carry on the momentum with the Onam releases. And once that's done, we should have I'm Game ready. Ideally, this is how the theatre business sustains, with good crowd-pleasers at regular intervals.
With a packed Onam season and a few films already showing promise, the Kerala box office is hoping for a productive festive season. However, the real test for exhibitors will be whether the momentum can continue beyond Onam.
(With inputs from Vivek Santhosh)