As written last week, the film business model is undergoing a sea change with some territories more affected than others. This week, our areas of focus are Tiruchy-Thanjavur (TT), Madurai-Ramanathapuram (MR) and Tirunelveli-Kanyakumari (TK), which are among the regions that have witnessed much transformation over the last few years.
With a large number of screens in rural areas, TT was once a highly profitable area, with Tiruchy, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam being the only urban centres. In early 2000, there were about 38 stations where films were screened, with as many as nine releasing centres. After a film completed its run in these release stations, prints would be handed to the smaller towns, known as shifting stations, and finally, to village theatres or C stations. Today, there are only 28 stations left in the Tiruchy area, and films get released simultaneously across all areas, due to the influx of digital screening. Likewise, MR used to be one of the biggest in Tamil Nadu, with clearly demarcated B and C stations. This is where, until 2005, big films collected more from shifting centres (B & C stations) than releasing stations. But these days, the entire run of films gets over in all the stations within two to three weeks from the date of its release. It is the same story in TK, the smallest area in the state, with the least number of screens and not a single multiplex. Naganathan, who used to run his family-owned Selvam Theatre in Kumbakonam (TT area), says, “Earlier, competition among theatres would result in a lot of them losing big money, thanks to having to pay huge amounts as MG (Minimum Guarantee) amount to distributors. Syndicates have now taken over these theatres; they have monopolised the business and control 10 to 30 screens in each region. So, a Chennai-based producer talks directly to them, and fixes terms and conditions, without going through a traditional distributor.”
Old-time theatre owners, who used to pride themselves by taking pictures on the opening day of a Rajinikanth film against the background of their single screens, have moved on. These owners faced heavy losses when the MG system prevailed. They handed over the running of the theatre to middlemen, who later became powerful syndicates, who could control a large number of screens in a particular area. It is these middlemen who decide the programming, fix the terms and conditions, and pay a monthly rental to theatre owners who, in most cases, is happy to run the canteen. Some of the syndicates’ bosses have become regional satraps in these areas, and as a result, the role of distributors has become extinct.
In Madurai and Trichy, modern multiplexes like Inox (Madurai) and Maris (Tiruchy) have changed the way business is done. The multiplexes run in accordance with the government rule, without charging higher ticket rates, and do not play films on MG. This has resulted in many theatres across south Tamil Nadu refusing to pay MG amounts, as they find it difficult to recoup their investments. A Madurai-based veteran distributor says, “Before the advent of multiplexes, smaller stations used to charge upwards of Rs. 200 during the release weekend of a big film, even though the government-stipulated rate was only Rs. 40. Today, southern Tamil Nadu is well-connected by road to interior areas, and has good public transport; so the audiences from villages flock to the nearest big-town multiplexes and watch films at government rates in better comfort.” Internet penetration in southern Tamil Nadu is not quite what it can be, but has still managed to create an audience for new-generation Tamil films and its stars. In traditional rural areas in Tiruchy and Madurai, where previously only star-driven (Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay, Ajith) films had an advantage, actors like Dhanush, Sivakarthikeyan, Vijay Sethupathi and Sasikumar are gaining in popularity. A few years ago, there was a clear difference in the box-office collections between an urban film and one that simply targeted the B and C stations. Now, not so much.
Let’s take a recent example. Madhavan’s Irudhi Suttru was made as a multiplex film, but became a hit throughout Tamil Nadu and grossed around Rs. 20 crore, with a theatrical share of around Rs.10 crore (tax-free). The collections from the rest of Tamil Nadu were as impressive as those from Madhavan’s stronghold—the 3 Cs (Chennai, Chengalpet and Coimbatore).
Says Madurai-based producer-turned-director, C. V. Kumar, “The films I produced, which were said to be multiplex films, have done well even at the lowest levels in Madurai and Trichy areas; people are appreciating good-quality content.”
Director-turned-actor Sasikumar has a loyal fan base, because he makes area-specific films with stories set in southern Tamil Nadu. In fact, today, the maximum number of important character actors in Tamil cinema, like Samuthirakani, Soori, Kali Venkat, Imman Annachi, and M. S. Bhaskar, are all from the southern districts.
Producer P. Madan of Escape Artists says, “Today, a new-generation director can make a film without much interference from the distributors and financiers, without having to pander to the taste of B and C audiences. The way business is done in TT, MR and TK has changed decisively.”
