Covid-hit Malayalam film industry’s revival has been heralded by a con artist and murderer who got away and a legendary naval captain. Kurup, starring Dulqar Salman, made over Rs 50 crore worldwide, while Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, starring Mohanlal, opened to over Rs 20 crore worldwide (a massive amount for Mollywood). The industry was cheered when half of the state’s 700 theatres reopened on October 25 (Marakkar, however, was a flop since it was not able to recover its budget, reported to be Rs 100 crore). The industry suffered losses estimated at over Rs 800 crore after two years of consecutive floods (from 2018 on). As Kerala’s 700 screens, including multiplexes, reopened on October 25, they saw more hits like Asif Ali’s Kunjeldho, Antony Varghese and Joju George’s Ajagajantharam, and Kunjako Boban’s Bheemante Vazhi.
With the Omicron scare gripping Kerala and a high positivity rate of over 70%, the film industry fears another lockdown may be imminent. In the next 90 days, 50 films with a combined budget of over Rs 400 crore will be released. They include the Mohanlal starrer Bro Daddy (January 26) directed by Prithviraj, B. Unnikrishnan directed Mohanlal thriller Aaraatu (February 10), Ashiq Abu’s Naradhan ( January 27) Roshan Andrews’ Salute (January 14) starring Dulqar, Vineeth Srenivasan’s Hridayam (January 21) and Rajeev Ravi’s Thuramukham (January 20) starring Nivin Pauly.
A well-received OTT superhero film like Minnal Murali has failed to lift the mood of the industry. Originally set for a theatrical release, the Covid-induced lockdown in the state forced producer Sophia Paul and director Basil Joseph to go in for a direct-to-streaming release. Netflix bought the streaming rights for Rs 37 crore, the highest price for a Malayalam movie. Filmmaker Siddique, whose films have been some of Malayalam cinema’s biggest hits, says that ‘Minnal Murali’s success has compelled many producers to consider alternative marketing strategies. However, we make films for theaters; watching them on a small screen will never give the real movie experience to audiences,’ he points out.
Several new filmmakers and producers of low-budget films have recently expressed interest in OTT distribution for their films. ‘It’s a challenging time for the film industry. We can’t afford another lockdown but we have no choice but to follow the directives,’ says G. Sureshkumar, a leading producer. Heavy losses could spell the end for many small production houses, he warns. Malayalam releases around 192 films in 2019, but 43 in 2020.
‘We can’t predict what the situation will be in the coming days. If Omicron numbers rise in the state, we may have to postpone the release again,’ says B. Unnikrishnan, director of the much-awaited Aaraatu and general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA).
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