3 hours at the movies: Why Malayalam films stretch runtimes

There was a time when three-hour films were a rarity reserved for sweeping historical dramas or ambitious epics. Today, however, long runtimes are steadily becoming part of the event-film experience. Malayalam cinema, which has traditionally favoured tighter narratives, is now embracing the trend, joining its counterparts in Telugu, Hindi and even Hollywood, where blockbuster films are increasingly stretching well beyond the two-and-a-half-hour mark.

The shift is hard to miss. Among Malayalam cinema's biggest releases this year, 'Aadu 3' runs for 2 hours and 50 minutes, 'Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros' clocks in at 2 hours and 43 minutes, 'Mollywood Times' stands at 2 hours and 47 minutes, while Mammootty's 'Patriot' crosses the three-hour mark. Even Tamil superstar Vijay's farewell film 'Jana Nayagan', which enjoys a massive market in Kerala, runs for 3 hours and 3 minutes.

The growing runtimes raise an interesting question. Are filmmakers simply making bigger films, or has a longer runtime itself become part of what audiences expect from an event release? More importantly, are viewers still willing to stay invested for three hours, or is patience beginning to wear thin?
For theatre owners, event films continue to be the biggest draw regardless of how long they run. These are the films audiences plan for weeks in advance, ensuring packed shows from the moment bookings open.

Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) president K Vijayakumar points to 'Drishyam 3' as a recent example.

"More than 60 per cent of theatres were reserved for 'Drishyam 3' during its release," he tells Onmanorama. "It benefited theatres because it was an event film that people had been waiting for."
He says the same held true for releases like 'Aadu 3' and 'Vaazha II'. Despite their lengthy runtimes, exhibitors were willing to dedicate more screens because demand remained high.

That doesn't necessarily mean smaller films suffer.
"The audience usually chooses films they're familiar with or movies starring big actors," Vijayakumar explains. "The success of an event film doesn't automatically affect smaller films. People go to theatres specifically for these big releases."

For theatre owners, a three-hour film does reduce the number of shows that can be scheduled in a day. But when a film has enough star power, fewer shows don't always translate into lower revenue.

Saju Johny, owner of Kavitha Theatre in Kochi, says the equation is simple. "If it's a smaller film with relatively new faces, audiences may not come to theatres," he says. "But for films like 'Jana Nayagan' or 'Dhurandhar', people rush to theatres. The shows are packed, so even if the runtime means one less show, it isn't really a problem for us."

Yet the bigger challenge may not be for exhibitors, but for filmmakers themselves.
Today's audiences are consuming entertainment differently. Streaming platforms have made it easier than ever to pause, return later or abandon a film halfway through. In theatres, however, viewers are committing nearly three hours of uninterrupted attention. Industry insiders believe that commitment has to be earned.

Vijayakumar says audiences are becoming increasingly vocal about pacing.
"Many audiences today find it difficult to sit through a three-hour film," he says. "One of the most common complaints we hear is that the films tend to feel sluggish. Even among some of the recent event releases featuring major stars, viewers felt the pacing was slow."

He points to 'Jana Nayagan' as an example. The film enjoyed a strong opening across Kerala, boosting theatre collections after a relatively slower period at the box office. But within just two days, its net collections dropped by almost 50 per cent, something Vijayakumar says came as a surprise.

While box office performance depends on several factors, he believes audiences today are far less forgiving when a film struggles to maintain its momentum.

That view is shared by Mahesh Narayanan's 'Patriot' co-editor Rahul Radhakrishnan, who believes the conversation should never begin with runtime.
"The content is the key element, not the runtime," Rahul tells Onmanorama. "If the movie is three hours, it should be engaging. The content should demand that length. If it's boring, then there's no point."

For an editor, the decision isn't about fitting a film into an ideal duration but ensuring that every scene serves the story. Some narratives naturally require more time to develop characters, relationships and emotional stakes, while others are stronger when they remain concise.

Perhaps that's why audiences rarely complain about a gripping three-hour film. It's only when the narrative loses momentum that viewers begin checking the time.
The trend towards longer event films is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. Bigger productions, ensemble casts and larger-than-life storytelling have made extended runtimes almost synonymous with theatrical spectacles. But industry voices agree that audiences are no longer impressed by length alone.