In just a few days, curtains will come down on 2018. A look back at Tamil cinema would say that hardly 5 per cent of the films released raked in the moolah at the box office. This has been the trend for the past few years. With changing priorities among audience and piracy threats, the success rate has come down drastically. Yet, the number of movies releasing is high. And many a producer disappears with just one film from his side.
It is no doubt a time for introspection. Technology has ensured that making a movie is no difficult task. Thanks to digital film-making, there is no dearth in the number of films on the floors, while getting their works showcased in cinema halls is becoming a Herculean task. Marketing strategies have been rewritten thanks to social media and only those with deep pockets can survive. With production costs increasing, one may wonder why people still prefer to invest in cinema. After all, for many it is still a gamble.
Many a traditional production house that came out with several movies have chosen to wait and watch. As many as 600 films are lying in the cans for several reasons waiting to see the light of day. The onus is on the Tamil Film Producers Council to set it right. And, may be with the State government enforcing strictly its orders of ticket pricing, combined with fair trade opportunities for all within the cinema industry, a solution may be found. Till then the sad story will continue.