Chennai: They say a quality movie will make profits in box office. Those carrying rave reviews never failed to send the cash registers ringing. For several years, it is said that “Content is the King.”
But call it a peculiar situation in Tamil cinema. In the last six weeks, over half-a-dozen films hit the screens and managed excellent reviews and good word-of-mouth. But when it came to collections, a majority of them failed to even stay at the cinema halls for over two weeks.
Speaking to News Today, Harikumar, a trade analyst, says, “It all started since August with Pyar Prema Kadhal. Of the dozen movies hit the screens, only a couple exceeded the budget. All these films managed good reviews and people celebrated them in social media. Yet a couple or more films alone made some profits. A movie needds at least two weeks to stay in cinema halls for people to come and watch it.
Unfortunately there are back-to-back releases (an average of three in a week). Before a good film could draw more audience, comes another. It is not good for the industry. Though the content is fresh and good, still they could not make money because the time available for them is very little.”
Echoing the same, Jagadeesh, a distributor, says, “The trade bodies in cinema should come together and discuss the issue at the earliest. The difficulties of the exhibitors and distributors should be analysed. Though people come in large numbers to theatres, a majority still watches them on piracy. Ways and means to bring them to cinema halls should be planned.”
James, a movie-buff says, “It is unfortunate that a movie Pariyerum Perumal, which spoke a relevant issue in an engrossing way got very less screens. Also a film like Raja Ranguski that was a decent entertainer stayed for just seven days in theatres. There is more supply and less demand. Good movies should succeed or else Tamil cinema will go a step back and only mindless commercial entertainers will be churned out.”
Big-budget movies like Seema Raja had early shows. Still it wasn’t sufficient to recover the cost for it was in theatres for just a few days and was replaced by another big movie, he adds.
On his part, filmmaker Adhirajan, says, “Tamil Film Producers Council president Vishal should urge the State government to grant licences to start mini theatres with 200 to 300 seating capacity across several towns immediately. Atleast 500 mini-theatres should come up. The government can also consider giving licences to big appartments, hotels and theme parks to screen new releases. Producers would get profit out of this. Not only the Producers Council, but all associations in the film industry should put pressure on the government for this. This would help Tamil cinema not affected by piracy.”
| Non-stop releases… |
| Aug 10 – Pyar Prema Kadhal, Vishwaroopam 2 Aug 17 – Kolamaavu Kokila Aug 24 – Merkku Thodarchi Malai, Imaikka Nodigal Sep 7 – Vanjagar Ulagam Sep 13 – Seema Raja, U Turn Sep 21 – Saamy Square, Raja Ranguski Sep 27 – Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Pariyerum Perumal Oct 4 – Ratsasan, NOTA & 96. |