Deepavali is considered the second-biggest release season in Kollywood after Pongal for big-budget star movies. A Deepavali release was considered prestigious right from the early days of Tamil cinema.
The exhibitors were particular that a new film should release only on the festival day and not before. They felt people would be busy shopping prior to Deepavali, and hence the opening would be weak. In the 1980s and 1990s, on Deepavali day, at least four or five films would release. This is not the case today, as Tamil cinema has gone global and it needs to compete with other language movies too. This year, Kamal Haasan’s action-thriller Thoongavanam is releasing along with Ajith’s masala entertainer Vedalam . Both the films are releasing on Deepavali (November 10), which falls on a Tuesday. Those in the trade in Tamil Nadu are happy that both the films are releasing on a festival day, which means an extra five to ten per cent increase in gross collections.
Rakesh Gowthaman, managing director of Vettri Theatre in Chromepet, says, “Ideally, I would have preferred a weekend release, but this year the festival falls on a Tuesday. A mid-week release is risky if the film does not live up to expectations. Today, more than stars, everything depends on content.”
Overseas distributors and those for the rest of India (mainly Kerala and Karnataka), however, are not happy with a Tuesday release. A Friday release would have ensured a good weekend opening for them. Deepavali is not a holiday abroad, and in India, it is not a major festival in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Karnataka. Multiplex programmers outside Tamil Nadu always insist on a weekend release, and considering Deepavali, they don’t mind even a Thursday release.
In fact, Salman Khan’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo is releasing on Thursday, November 12, as Deepavali is celebrated a day later in the North. The film’s Tamil version will be released simultaneously with the Hindi version. The Bollywood industry is particular about not releasing films on Deepavali, as they feel that it may not get the anticipated opening, and they also feel that the overseas weekend market is as important as the Indian market. Almost 40 per cent of the total revenue of a top Bollywood star movie comes from the overseas market.
A leading distributor, who is marketing one of the festival releases, said, “For Tamil audiences, watching a film on Deepavali is a must, and we should stick to tradition. 75 to 85 per cent of the total gross theatrical collection of a big Tamil film comes from Tamil Nadu. Three years back, Vijay’s Thuppakki was released on Deepavali (also on a Tuesday) and it was a superhit.”
According to veteran producer A.M. Rathnam, whose Vedalam is releasing on the festival day, “Two years back, I had released Aarambam two days prior to Deepavali, and it went on to do great business. I’m very confident about Vedalam releasing on Deepavali worldwide. I’m sure it will take the year’s biggest opening. Over the years, there is something sentimental about a Deepavali release for Tamil film producers.”
Another reason touted by industry experts for a Deepavali day release is that the North East monsoon, which has hit Chennai and Chengalpattu areas in Tamil Nadu. It is expected to clear by Deepavali though. Both these areas have a large number of multiplexes and generate a major chunk of the total box-office revenue for any film. The trade feels that both Thoongavanam and Vedalam will find their own audiences. One thing is sure — it is going to be a cracker of a Deepavali in Kollywood.
Thoongavanam carries a ‘UA’ certificate with a running time of two hours and five minutes while Vedalam carries a ‘U’ certificate with a running time of two hours and 32 minutes.
