PremiumExclusive! Pranav Mohanlal’s Hridayam, Soubin’s Kallan D’Souza will get maximum support from theatres: FEUOK
K Vijayakumar, president of Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala, also weighs on the chances of movies such as Dulquer Salmaan's Salute and Nivin Pauly's Thuramukham that postponed their releases opting for OTTs now
Last Updated: 08.05 AM, Jan 20, 2022
It’s been an uncertain week for theatre exhibitors and producers in Mollywood. With multiple big films such as Dulquer Salmaan’s Salute, Nivin Pauly’s Thuramukham and Tovino Thomas’ Naradan postponing their release owing to the surge in COVID-19 cases and anticipating stricter restrictions in the coming days, the makers of films such as Vineeth Sreenivasan’s Hridayam and Soubin Shahir’s Kallan D’Souza that are set for a January 21 release had to take a risk.
The bookings of both movies didn’t open till late Wednesday night and several big theatres too were waiting on the government’s decision. Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) president K Vijayakumar tells OTTplay, “We had reached out to the government officials and they had said that there wouldn’t be restrictions exclusively for theatres. So, we will be screening Hridayam and Kallan D’Souza that have stayed firm on the release date this week, and there will be maximum support from the part of the exhibitors’ fraternity. Even financially, we are ready to provide all support and we are hoping to continue bringing movies to theatres and sustain this industry.”
With Mollywood already having a packed release calendar with several big films such as Mohanlal’s Aaraattu and Mammootty’s Bheeshma Parvam set for release next month, what are the chances that the movies that have postponed their release, opting for OTT platforms now? “Thuramukham was postponed because there was also a financial dispute. Also, the makers of Salute too had agreed to release it in theatres after requests from the exhibitors. So, movies that have been planned for theatrical releases, will not be opting for OTTs,” he says.
Vijayakumar, however, is aware of the financial risks involved. “Also, as far as producers are concerned, there’s always a risk of about 15-25% revenue loss due to the restrictions. But theatre owners have promised to co-operate to cover those. Even for a movie like Hridayam, if the government decides to announce restrictions a week later, it would involve a huge loss from their side. That’s why they have waited so long to begin the bookings.”