KOCHI : The success of Mammootty-starrer Bramayugam, Mohanlal’s Neru, Tovino’s Anweshippin Kandethum and the Naslen-Mamitha Baiju combination’s Premalu, all of which have brought audiences back to the cinemas, has given Mollywood a good start to 2024. The successive hits hold out the promise of a revival in the Malayalam film industry, according to experts.
If filmmakers focus on creating films for the audience in a cinema hall rather than for OTT viewers, the trend will continue, ultimately helping Mollywood flourish, say exhibitors. “Cinemas have been struggling for the past few years. Though around 200 films were released in 2023, only a few registered hits. This year, we have seen consecutive hits in the beginning itself. It is a good sign and gives us hope,” says Liberty Basheer, the president of the Kerala Film Exhibitors’ Federation.
Malayalam films released recently have attracted an audience and most of the shows run to a full house, he points out.
According to K Vijayakumar, the president of the Film Exhibitors’ United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK), people of every age and of every taste are coming to watch films.
“Family audiences as well as youngsters are coming to cinemas these days. People thought that a film like Bramayugam was intended for a section of viewers. However, film enthusiasts have proved that notion wrong,” he says. The trend proves that people will watch films in cinemas if there is quality. “If the script and the making are good, people will definitely come to cinemas, no matter who the actor or director is. Filmmakers should focus on creating movies for cinemas and not for OTT platforms,” Basheer stresses.
Vijayakumar said people have always watched good films in cinemas. “But now we have had successive hits, which energises the industry,” he says.
In recent times, Mollywood has also been boosted by good performances from senior actors Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi and Jayaram in films like Bramayugam, Neru, Garudan and Abraham Ozler, respectively. “The performances of the senior actors in recent movies and their success prove that if there are good scripts, and if these actors choose roles wisely, they can contribute good films to the industry,” says Basheer, adding that filmmakers should meet the expectations of the audience for a film to be successful.
On the flip side, there is the danger of audiences turning their backs on cinemas when the dates for OTT releases are announced.
“When movies are released on OTT platforms immediately after their release in cinemas or when the dates of the OTT releases are announced, it affects the footfall in cinemas. Also, the OTT platforms should try to improve the standard of films by accepting only good films,” Basheer says.
No new Malayalam releases from tomorrow, say exhibitors
With producers and exhibitors, as yet, failing to settle their differences over the timing of OTT releases, the Film Exhibitors’ United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) has decided not to release new Malayalam movies in cinemas from Thursday. The move is in protest against the immediate release of films on OTT platforms and the producers’ demand to screen the movies only in a given format. “When some good movies have seen people coming to cinemas, such confusion should be avoided. We have asked the government to intervene,” FEUOK president Vijayakumar said.