KOCHI: Daniel Craig’s final iteration of James Bond — No Time to Die — will be the opening movie when cinemas reopen in Kerala on Monday after a six-month gap necessitated by the second Covid wave. However, no major Malayalam releases are scheduled with theatre owners set to screen other languages movies — including Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage’, Tamil movie Doctor starring Sivakarthikeyan, and Premageetham (Telugu dubbing) — in the first week. After holding discussions with the representatives of various film bodies on Friday, Culture and Cinema Minister Saji Cherian has given the nod for theatres to conduct four shows daily at 50% of the total capacity.
Though there will no big releases in the opening week, exhibitors believe that screens all over the state will come alive again with the release of Annaatthe on November 4. The film, with superstar Rajnikanth playing the lead character, will be the first biggie to hit the screens after the reopening. Director Venkat Prabhu’s Maanaadu starring Silambarasan is also expected to be released early in November. The first major Malayalam release will be young actor Dulquer Salmaan’s Kurup, slated for theatrical release on November 12.
Another Malayalam biggie, Kaaval, with superstar Suresh Gopi in the lead, will also hit screens on November 25. “To bring back audience to theatres, we would like to make the release of Annaatthe and Kurup occasions for big celebrations. So far, we have not received confirmation on the release date of other movies. However, 94 movies -- including 20 big projects -- are awaiting release, and we hope theatres will soon come alive,” said K Vijayakumar, president, Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK).
Earlier, the office-bearers of the Kerala Film Producers Association had said they will prioritise the release of movies in the coming weeks. The much-awaited Mohanlal starrer Marakkar Arabikkadalinte Simham will be released in theatres after assessing the situation. “It is a big-budget movie and the producer will have to look at the audience-reception for other films. We don’t believe that producer Antony Perumbavoor will opt for an OTT release for Marakkar as most of the theatres had paid an advance (deposit) for the movie almost a year and a half ago,” said Vijayakumar.
Other big Malayalam movies expected to hit the screen in the comings months include the Mohanlal-Unnikrishnan B duo’s ‘aarattu, Nivin Pauly-starrer Thuramugham directed by Rajeev Ravi, Dileep’s Keshu Ee Veedinte Nadhan helmed by Nadirshah, Pranav Mohanlal’s musical love story Hrudyam directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan, and Tinu Pappachan’s much-awaited Ajagajantharam with Antony Varghese (Pepe) in the lead. Mammootty’s next big release will be Amal Neerad’s Bheeshma Parvam, the shooting of which has been completed.