With Yash dominating ‘Ramayana’ posters and a 3D spectacle on offer, can the film conquer Kerala's box office?

As ‘Ramayana’ hit theatres on Thursday, the makers have been making an all-out effort to build anticipation around the film through an extensive pre-release promotional campaign. Among the major events was a premiere in Los Angeles, which reportedly drew several prominent personalities, including Jada Smith from Hollywood.

Starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, the film is based on the ancient Indian epic attributed to sage Valmiki. Mounted on a grand scale, the production is looking to attract audiences across markets, banking on the familiarity of the story as well as its cinematic presentation. The film is slated for a wide international release, with reports indicating that it will be screened across nearly 100 countries. In India, the release is expected to cover thousands of screens, including multiplexes. In Kerala, producer AV Anoop's AVA Productions and Mukesh Mehta's E4 Entertainments are handling the film's distribution across the state.

The first Malayalam-dubbed screenings, however, are being offered exclusively in 3D formats. The distributors have secured nearly 175 theatres across Kerala, according to trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai. However, whether all the theatres allocated for the release have the necessary infrastructure to screen the film in 3D remains to be seen. While there is some anticipation surrounding the film's theatrical prospects in Kerala, exhibitors believe its performance will largely depend on the initial audience response and word of mouth.
"This is the Diwali season, and there are several releases competing for audience attention, including the Tamil film ‘Scene’ and the Malayalam film ‘Disco’. These films are expected to do well in theatres. If they do, ‘Ramayana’ could face considerable competition in Kerala.

Otherwise, there is a possibility that older audiences and families may turn up to watch the film, given the familiarity of the story. A lot will depend on how the film is received initially," said Vijayakumar, president of the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK).
The Hindi version of ‘Ramayana’ will be available only at select large multiplexes in Kerala, he added. Advance bookings for the film have been relatively slow so far. However, exhibitors believe collections could pick up if the initial reviews and audience response are favourable.

Interestingly, the promotional campaign has also seen Yash's character posters and appearances receive considerable attention, reflecting the actor's substantial fan following, particularly in the South Indian markets. His portrayal of Ravana, with its larger-than-life visual presentation, appears to be one of the major talking points surrounding the film.

Sai Pallavi, too, could be a draw, given her popularity and following among Malayalam audiences. However, trade observers believe that the film's box-office prospects may not necessarily depend on the star value of its cast. Unlike a conventional star-driven release, ‘Ramayana’ has the advantage of being based on a story that is already deeply familiar to generations of audiences. Ultimately, the appeal of the epic, how it has been adapted for the screen and the quality of its storytelling are likely to determine whether audiences turn up in large numbers.

Distributor AV Anoop, meanwhile, is optimistic that the film will find acceptance among audiences across age groups. Drawing a parallel with the popularity of the television adaptations of ‘Ramayana’, he said the story already enjoys widespread familiarity among Indian audiences.
"Even during the days of Doordarshan, the television serial ‘Ramayana’ was widely watched and accepted by people. The story remains the same and is familiar to generations.

What has changed is the technology and the scale of presentation. The film offers audiences an opportunity to experience this familiar story in a completely different cinematic format. We expect people across age groups to embrace it, and I believe the world will appreciate the film," he said.

With its extensive release plans, familiar source material and large-scale visual presentation, ‘Ramayana’ is looking to draw audiences beyond its traditional fan base. However, in Kerala, its box-office prospects will ultimately depend on audience reception, the availability of suitable 3D screens and the competition from other festive-season releases.