It is very rare in Tamil Nadu for the audience to be more excited about a dubbed film than a Rajini or a Kamal film. But such has been the euphoria that has surrounded S.S Rajamouli’s magnum opus Baahubali, a two-part mythological film starring Prabhas, Anushka and Rana Daggubati. Despite the absence of a saleable star in Tamil Nadu, the dubbed version has been lapped up for a huge sum of Rs. 11 crore.
But will films with similar grandeur make economic sense in Tamil?
“We often overlook the fact that the Telugu market is bigger than ours,” says veteran producer P.L. Thenappan, who has made films such as Padayappa and Panchathanthiram . “If a Rajamouli film is bought for Rs. 11 crore in TN, a Shankar film gets over Rs. 30 crore from the Telugu market. So, the scale isn’t even comparable,” he says, stating that much of the asking price has come from the super success of the director’s previous film, Naan Ee .
Actor and film historian Mohan Raman believes there is always a market for mythological films in Tamil. He says, “The dubbed version of Mahabharata on TV is very popular.
So it’s clear that mythological subjects have a strong market. After the era of mythological films in the 1950s, there were still directors such as A.P. Nagarajan and K. Shankar who proved that such films worked. By factoring in certain changes to suit a larger market, these films can work even today.”
However, producer Hitesh Jabak ( Anjathe, Meaghamann ) feels that the very nature of the Tamil industry makes such a large film logistically impossible. “Remuneration of even the biggest Telugu stars do not go beyond 12 per cent of the film’s overall cost. That's not the case here. If we need a star or star director to work in our film, the remuneration itself will change a film’s costs.
When we talk about making a film on such a grand scale and with expensive graphics, these salaries would make it almost impossible.”
Mohan Raman says a bi-lingual or tri-lingual format would prove effective. “A unique feature about South Indian films is that most of the technicians and actors work in all four languages. Our own Sathyaraj and Nasser are a part of Baahubali , making the film identifiable with the Tamil audience. At a time when the global market is open to us, why rely on the Tamil Nadu market alone to make a big film?” he asks.
Setting high standards
Hitesh feels that epic films, when made here, have to match Hollywood standards.
He says, “Gone are the days of MGR and Sivaji when the audience would believe everything given to them as being the best. Technology has made it possible for us to watch foreign and Hollywood films in minutes. If one makes an expensive film and it looks tacky or unreal, then it won’t work.
Even with our limited budgets, we are expected to compete with Hollywood.”
However, despite the huge investments, it’s these extravagant films that take the industry to the next level.
“Every time a film such as Baahubali gets made, it becomes a trend-setter. Other directors from the industry take note of the technological possibilities and it pushes the envelope for all of us. Such a film also brings to India several experienced foreign technicians who invariably employ Indian assistants. In the course of time, there is a technology transfer which allows us to attempt films of similar scale with our own people. That’s why we need a Baahubali .”
Leaving a legacy
Contrary to what one perceives, these films aren’t just dream projects of directors alone. “People often credit just the director when such films get made.
But it is also every producer’s dream to make a film that will be remembered for generations,” says producer Thenappan.
“I began my career as an office boy. Cinema has given me everything. And it is by making films like Baahubali happen that I feel I'm giving something back to cinema.”
