Are family plays losing their attraction in Malayalam cinema? Thriller and action movies Spotlight theft | Malayalam Movie News
Malayalam cinema, once known for its strong story style, has taken a huge deviation in recent times, especially in drama styles. Most films that have become successes are either thriller or highly entertaining comedy-drama films like ‘Premlu’. Now, a big question arises. Has Malayali audience lost touch with a good family drama film on a big screen? Or should such films be safe by releasing on OTT?
‘Thudram’s success
Let’s start with the most recent example, ‘Thudram’ starring Mohanlal. The film was promoted as a family drama film, and it is a known fact that for this reason, promoting for the film, even though Mohanlal and Shobana were headed, the action thriller was lower than the film ‘Emapuran’.
Gradually, after the first show, early reviews called it the ‘Drisome-Level’ thriller movie. Now magic is done! Along with the box office collection, the occupancy rates started increasing. Keep in mind that the film is really good and receiving great reviews from the audience, is it not true that the interest of the audience, even fans were ignited because early reviews suggested that it was a thriller instead of a family drama film?
(Picture courtesy: Facebook)
“Thudram ‘comes under family drama” – Thruun Murthy
During his promotional interviews, Tharun Murthy confirmed that ‘Thaudram’ is a family drama film and the audience should not expect anything anymore from it.
Speaking to ‘The Q’, the director said, “But I am worried about that we have already fixed a style for the film. It comes under a family drama. When the audience starts cutting a different style for the film, I get stressed.” He added, “When we define a style and make a film accordingly, if anything comes beyond it, I cannot accept it – this is my nature.” This was a strategy by the talented director to have a strategy by the talented director to have their promotional level before watching the film.
‘Home’, ‘Falimi’, and more
A few years ago, many family play films performed well at the box office and after hitting Oats, they also received good reactions from the audience. One such film was Indran starrer ‘Home’. Basil Joseph starrer ‘Falimi’, ‘Ponman’, and even ‘Guruvayur Ambalanadayil’ can be classified under family films. But are they all dependent on a factor- comedy or even adventure, not pure feelings that have come out, like classic family movies ‘Walsalam’, or even ‘Kireedam’?
(Picture courtesy: Facebook)
“Viewers know in which film they should go and watch in theaters – ‘Arm’ director Jethine Lal
In a special chat with Towino Thomas starrer ‘ARM’ director Jethine Lal, he said that the viewers’ attitude and taste have changed over time, especially after Kovid.
“The audience knows in which film they should go and watch in theaters. They need entertainment, and filmmakers also know what the audience has to give,” said Githin during the interview.
No matter what the style is, according to the director, the audience is in theaters for pure entertainment. “They need their money worth. Entertainment is the main aspect they see when they are paying money to watch a film in theaters. Just after the release of a film trailer, they decide whether they should watch the film in theaters or wait for OTT to be released.”
The theater experience matters, can family plays fulfill it?
For example, Christopher Nolan said in a media interaction, “People will always love the spirit of coming together to see a great story,” watching a film in a theater is a combined experience. Earlier, a good story was enough to meet the needs of a person who watches a film in the theater, now it has changed to another level, requiring a full experience from a film. As long as a film, no matter whether it is a family drama or a thriller or even a scary film, just as Jethine Lal said, most of the audience is for pure entertainment and nothing else.
