2018 has turned out to be a trend-setting year for Kollywood as far as marketing and content are concerned. Needless to say, the superstar films have gotten bigger and opened up newer markets. There was an additional growth in the overseas market, with four Tamil films crossing the $1 million mark in the US. The highest grosser worldwide was 2.0 (including Hindi and Telugu versions) but in Tamil Nadu, Sarkar turned out to be the winner.
The business in the state was clearly split, with a division between urban and rural audiences. Tamil films such as Chekka Chivantha Vaanam , Tamizh Padam 2 and 2.0 , despite making great business in urban centres, made average to above-average business in rural areas. Karthi’s Kadaikutty Singam did good business in rural areas. The division is sharp, as urban areas are monopolised by multiplexes, while the single screens still call the shots in rural areas.
Nayanthara in ‘Anjali Vikramaditya’
Girl power
Nayanthara in ‘Anjali Vikramaditya’
A welcome change has been the rise of women power at the box-office. Nayanthara’s back-to-back releases Kolamavu Kokila and Imaikkaa Nodigal not only had a good opening, but went on to become hits. Another film with the presence of a strong female was 96 starring Trisha Krishnan, which became a sensational hit. At the end of the year, Aishwarya Rajesh’s Kanaa , a sports-based story of a woman cricketer, triumphed against all odds. The film is turning out to be a sleeper-hit among the Christmas releases. The success of Kanaa has given confidence to producers, who are now backing a lot of women-centric films. One of the main reasons for the success of women-centric films and content-driven films like Raatchasan , Pyaar Prema Kaadhal and Pariyerum Perumal has been the audience’s willingness to accept something new. On the other hand, Mani Ratnam’s multi-starrer Chekka Chivantha Vaanam created huge hype and ensured good numbers at the box-office.
Content is king
A significant development this year has been the absence of songs in successful films. Music is playing a marginal role, as opposed to early days that required superhit albums. The number of songs have also come down in films. With the rise of new talents like Govind Vasantha and Sam CS, films are more dependent on background score. Today, songs are used merely as a promotional tool than to attract repeat audiences.
Meanwhile, the rise of OTT platforms has changed filmmaking in Kollywood. In 2018, online platforms like Amazon Prime and Zee5 plunged into funding Tamil web series, which are all in a nascent stage. A lot of producers, including SR Prabhu and director Gautham Menon are in the process of venturing into web series that ensure more creative freedom (no censorship). One of the advantages of OTT platforms is that they allow film buffs to catch Tamil films legally on the Internet.
Market pressure
Remake and dubbing rights have also boosted the Tamil film market in a big way. The success of Rajinikanth’s 2.0 in the Northern belt has created a new market for Tamil-dubbed films. In Telugu, dubbed films have ensured a minimum guarantee for certain stars. Now that the dubbing ban has been lifted in Kannada, a couple of Tamil films have found a market there too. The craze among Hindi channels for star-driven Tamil films has increased the rate of dubbed films. The biggest push in Kollywood has been the conversion of single screens into multiple screens, and the boom in multiplexes. The box-office collections have increased in urban centres like Chennai and Chengalpet, where other languages films have also found their way. In a nutshell, 2019 is going to be an exciting year for Tamil cinema. If we were to take a cue from 2018, then producers will need to bank on content-driven films in order to be successful at the box-office.
