Desperate for a hit, Malayalam film industry cautious of releases amid tension in Gulf

The Malayalam film industry has had a slow start this year, with very few successful releases over the past two months. As the industry continues to struggle with losses, both producers and theatre associations, who were hoping for a strong March release, now face another major setback. Theatre owners in Kerala were particularly optimistic about ‘Toxic,’ a Yash-starrer, which was expected to perform well at the box office. However, the decision to postpone the film has dealt a heavy blow to those expectations.

With ‘Toxic’ no longer on the horizon, ‘Dhurandhar 2’ and ‘Aadu 3’ now stand as the industry's primary hopes for March. B Unnikrishnan’s highly-anticipated film, starring Nivin Pauly, is also targeting a March release, though the exact date is yet to be announced. However, growing tensions in West Asia, particularly due to the Iran conflict, have raised some concerns regarding the releases.

Producer Venu Kunnappilly, known for producing hits like ‘2018’ and ‘Rekhachitram’ and now ‘Aadu 3’, expressed cautious optimism about the film's planned release on March 19, but acknowledged the uncertainty caused by the escalating crisis in the Gulf. "We're closely monitoring the situation in the Gulf, especially in light of the Iran crisis. We’ll only be able to make a final decision in a week," Venu said. "If the situation worsens and the government issues any advisories or directives based on the conflict, we may have to reconsider the release. However, we're still hopeful that things could de-escalate and there won’t be any need to reschedule our movie. There are no major releases scheduled right now due to Ramadan, so the government hasn't found it necessary to issue any specific warnings regarding the current situation."

The producer also highlighted the significance of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for the film's release, as they account for a substantial portion of the box office revenue. "Ticket prices in the Gulf have risen significantly in recent years. A single ticket now costs more than three times what you would pay in India, which makes the GCC market even more vital for distribution," the producer added.
Producer Joby George, whose banner Goodwill Entertainment bankrolled the latest film ‘Valathe Vashathu Kallan’, also spoke about how crucial the overseas market is for Malayalam cinema. "The younger audience in Kerala is important, but the overseas market comprising an older demographic—typically those over 35—many of whom are based abroad- plays a significant role in the success of our films," he said.

Former Bigg Boss contestant and film distributor RJ Sooraj who is based in Dubai stated that despite the ongoing conflict, a segment of moviegoers is still visiting theatres, although attendance has decreased. "This kind of dip in audience numbers is expected during Ramadan. The conflict too has forced people to stay indoors. However, the government in the UAE is doing its best to reassure people, which is why we are not anticipating any government advisories against screening films. We remain optimistic that there won’t be major disruptions to any of the upcoming releases," he said.
Meanwhile, the situation remains tough for Kerala’s film exhibitors. K Vijayakumar, president of the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK), stated that the majority of theatres are operating at a loss. The lean months of January and February have only added to their struggles. "The past few months have been extremely difficult for film theatres in Kerala. After ‘Sarvam Maya’, there has been no momentum in theatres since the start of the year. We haven't seen any major hits this year. Last year, films like ‘Rekhachitram’ and ‘Officer on Duty’ made waves, while 2024 saw success with ‘Premalu’ and ‘Aavesham.’ This year, ‘Prakambanam’ and ‘Chatha Pacha’ were only moderate performers. Postponing 'Jananayakan' release in January affected the box office collections and other movie schedules. We urgently need big blockbusters to help revive the industry, " Vijayakumar said.