The surge of Tamil-language entertainment content and the constant buzz about Kollywood on social media might fool you, but choosing a new film to watch is no longer easy. Tamil cinema has crossed a nervous five months in 2024, with only a handful of titles tasting varying degrees of success at the box-office.
Every promising opening or brilliant trailer on Friday morning gave the audience hope that the film would get back on track, but they were left disappointed. But first, is there really a problem here or is this an overreaction in an industry that is considered to be quite volatile? Even in the last four years, when the industry relied on stars to deal with the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was no dearth of big-budget star films or small content-driven projects, especially in the first half of the year.
This paints a very different picture compared to 2024. Big star vehicles released for Pongal – Dhanush Captain Miller and Sivakarthikeyan’s Aylan— failed to perform well, and the same applies to them Red Salutein which Rajinikanth did an extended cameo. However, these three titles are still the highest-grossing films of the year. Of course, there have been some exceptions, such as Adbhut Ratna which was Loveror a mid-budget winner that Aranmanai 4 The film proved to be a blockbuster at the box office. star bombed in its opening weekend, and films like blue Star, J Baby and starring Vijay Sethupathi merry christmas performed remarkably well in theaters and on streaming. And yet, these remain exceptions in an industry that churns out hundreds of films every calendar year.
Not enough star power in the first half of 2024:
As many industry sources point out, there were no signs of such a drought at the box-office at the start of the year. If big-budget projects like Kollywood’s were successful, it might have done well. Kanguwa, ThangalanAnd indian 2 — all of which initially had release dates in the first half of 2024 — have brought their grand visions to the screen. However, call it an effort towards improving post-production or being conscious of getting a release window, most star films in Tamil Nadu barely make it to the announced release date.
Suriya in a scene from ‘Kanguva’ | Photo Credit: Saregama Tamil/YouTube
Producer Kalaipuli S Thanu reminds us that sticking to the plan in a business like cinema is easier said than done. “There could be delays in CGI, or some unknown factor could cause delays in shooting. Sometimes, the production has to wait for the dates of a supporting actor playing an important role. We can never blame the production for these delays.”
Meanwhile, producer P L Thenappan blames the increasingly protracted negotiations for satellite and streaming rights. “There are only a handful of players in satellite and streaming, and in such an oligopoly – where only a few dictate the price – parties may struggle to find a middle ground,” he says.
There is less chance of small surprises in 2024:
If this is the case with star films, then 2024 may prove to be the dullest year in a long time for small or medium budget films. The first half of this year is in stark contrast to 2023, which saw such films. Bapu, Por Thozhil, Good night And Ayothi Clearing the way for young filmmakers. This time the situation has become even worse, because there are a large number of star films releasing later this year, which could cause trouble.
Good night Actor Manikandan, whose Lover The most critically acclaimed Tamil film of 2024, says getting theatres amidst a line-up of star films has always been a constant struggle for makers of small films. “It takes a lot of hard work to release a film in theatres. And even if they get a release window, many factors determine whether the audience will like to watch it in theatres or not,” he says. He adds that he is happy at least now that people’s attitude towards watching non-star films has changed. “Now people have the confidence that such films with good content can also run in theatres,” he says.
‘Ghilli’ storm and ‘Premjumla boys’ fury’
Under such circumstances, a flood of blockbuster films from neighbouring industries has kept the theatre business afloat.
2024 has been the year of Malayalam cinema across India, mainly due to titles such as Bramayugam, loving, surge, Aadujeevithamand blockbusters Manjummel BoysAll of them performed exceptionally well in Tamil Nadu.
Stills from ‘Aadujeevitham’, ‘Bramyugam’, ‘Aavesham’, ‘Manjummel Boys’ and ‘Premalu’
However, the producers say that to say that these Malayalam films have affected the earnings of Tamil films is a bit of an exaggeration. Both Thanu and Thenappan feel that the quality of Tamil films is to be blamed more than the popularity of Malayalam films. Thanu says, “If a Tamil film has good content, the audience will watch the Malayalam film along with the Tamil one.” Thenappan also agrees when he explains how the earnings of Tamil films are affected. Premam (2015), Bahubali (2015 and 2017) or KGF (2018 and 2022) has not stopped good Tamil films from tasting success.
Another interesting phenomenon that was witnessed in Tamil Nadu earlier this year is the trend of re-releasing old blockbuster films, which has led to several discussions on the mindset of the audience and the quality of commercial films we are getting lately. This trend reached a peak when Vijay’s Ghillie The film will become the biggest box-office opener in 2024, 20 years after its original release.
A scene from ‘Ghilli’
While it is true that many people may prefer to re-watch a familiar, good film rather than a new, unknown one, the impact of these re-releases on business has been blown out of proportion. “Yes, these re-releases may have helped a little, but it is a ‘something is better than nothing’ situation. These one or two successful re-releases, or a handful of foreign language or Malayalam films, are not enough to survive. We need at least one good Tamil film every month to cover our recurring expenses and fill our audience,” says Ruban Mathivanan of GK Cinemas in Chennai.
Is it time to explore the direct-to-streaming model further?
The industry also needs to introspect on why producers are hesitant to explore the direct-to-streaming model, especially when Tamil cinema has been doing well with its long-form content since 2022, and that form continues this year as well. Thalaimai Seyalgam And Inspector Rishi,
Actor Manikandan says that no one in the industry has got clarity about this direct-to-streaming model. “Yes, there are some restrictions in terms of releasing a film in theatres, and hence, some films may work better on OTT, but now there is reluctance among creators as well,” he says. He adds that if some projects succeed with this model, others may follow suit.
Are you all set for a star-studded revival?
But the second half of the year is not short on star power. So, while smaller films may have to struggle for a release, look for streaming options, or postpone their dreams of a release, the box-office won’t suffer any more.
Kamal Haasan’s indian 2Surya’s KanguwaVikram’s Thangalanof victory greatest of all timeRajinikanth’s Vettaiyanajith kumar Vida MuyarchyVijay Sethupathi’s King and Sivakarthikeyan’s Amaran Here are some movies releasing later this year. Mari Selvaraj’s BisonJayam Ravi Geniearun vijay Vananganand of Ram Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai There are a few other titles that will follow after this.
Will 2024 be like those movies with a bad first half and a thrilling second half? We will find out soon.
