# Athul M
Is it high time to put an end to the mad rush behind fancy movie projects with lavish budgets? Cinema is more than the crores it mints.
Chemmeen, My Dear Kuttichathan, and the latest blockbuster2018, Malayalam movies have always garnered ‘pan-Indian’ attention for its impressive, immersive, and innovative filmmaking. But then many argue that we haven’t had pan-Indian blockbusters like the Baahubali or KGFto add to our list of accomplishments. But is box office success across regions a real parameter to judge the potential of an industry? Is all the hype surrounding pan-Indian films really worth it? Let’s take a deeper look.
Grand movies likeRRR, KGFor Baahubali, are of course pride projects that have brought us national and international laurels. But that does not take any credit away from some of the wonderfully made small regional movies like Sairator Home. With each passing day, the art of filmmaking is getting even more complicated, trying to strike a balance between quality and market viabilities. But a co-existing ecosystem of larger than life movies and rooted natural cinema, seems to be the future. People in the movie industry have been vocal about the ‘impact’ of pan-Indian phenomenon on filmmaking.
“Look at Hollywood films, they design their movies keeping in mind the interests of their international audience. Off late, there have been numerous Asian-Indian characters, references in some of Hollywood’s top franchise movies. This definitely helps top production houses tap the market potentials in this part of the globe. Now that’s pan-world techniques you see working out there!,” says ace Malayalam movie director T K Rajeev Kumar.
Now are all these attempts really worth it? Time will tell us.
In Deadpool, a hollywood superhero movie released in 2016, the popular song ‘Mera Joota Hai Japani‘ from Awaara (released in 1951), could be heard in the background, in a scene where Ryan Reynolds is talking to Karan Soni. Or else, the Hindi tracks used in the Hollywood classic Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, are a few recent examples of Bollywood references in Hollywood movies.
Commenting on the dearth of pan-Indian projects in Malayalam film industry, T K Rajeev Kumar said that “all movies need not be mounted on a lavish scale, in order to satisfy the pan-Indian audience. Malayalam movies do not endorse melodrama, which is not the case in other languages. Our films are realistic and mostly remain rooted/grounded.”
Cine lovers continue to celebrate the nationwide success of few movies, but in reality, a majority of the pan-Indian projects have tanked at the box office, resulting in huge losses for the distributors and producers.
The 2022 released pan-Indian disasterLiger is a perfect example for this. The Vijay Devarakonda movie directed by Puri Jagannadh opened to terrible reviews and was pulled out of theaters within a week of its release. In a similar manner, the growing acceptance for Malayalam movies on OTT platforms need not guarantee the required box office success for future projects in our industry.
“When it comes to filmmaking, it’s all about the thought process of the director. The way he envisions his project. For example, a 3D movie likeMy Dear Kuttichathan, with actors like Dalip Tahil, was way ahead of its time. Or else, the brilliance in Mani Ratnam movies. Whether it be the casting, scripting or even the cinematography. The man is a true genius So it’s not always about the budget, there are other factors that enrich cinema,” says T K Rajeev Kumar, the veteran film personality who has always been an ambassador of good cinema.
On the other hand, amidst all the noise surrounding cross-border cinema, there are some interesting Malayalam projects in the pipeline as well. Cinephiles across the country are eagerly waiting for the release of movies such asEmpuraan, Aadujeevitham, Minnal Murali 2, and Ajayante Randam Moshanam. These movies might play a key role in transforming Kerala’s entertainment landscape. But we will have to wait and see.
“Let’s take the example of Kantara, the movie based on age-old traditions of coastal Karnataka was loved by audiences across the country. I think it was the perfect example of a content driven film winning over the hearts of filmgoers,” says Sudheesh Gopinath, director of Madanolsavam, a runaway hit in Malayalam.
Sudheesh who made his directorial debut with Madanolsavam in 2023, feels that ‘content’ is the king. As someone who has closely observed and learned cinema over the years, he confidently says that there are a number of movies made on small budgets, which are forever loved by the people of our country.
“For example, let’s talk about movies likeKaaka Muttaior Thinkalazcha Nishchayam, I think they very well qualify as pan-Indian movies. Because, people in any part of our country can relate to the themes of these movies, but sadly that’s not how it works,” laments Sudheesh.
These days pan-Indian ‘circuses’ mostly fall flat. Neither qualify as good movies or as decent products in the market. Even well thought out and clearly executed PR strategies are failing to save these movies from sinking at the box office. Casually roping in actors from different languages, erecting huge sets on grand budgets, seem to be the common recipe for making popular movies these days. But filmmaking definitely has a greater purpose and meaning to it.
‘Pan-India’ just seems to be a new coinage. For example, let’s take actors like Kamal Haasan, Mammooty or Mohanlal who were free flowing, both literally and figuratively. Their acting prowesses had earned them cross-border fame and recognition as early as in the 1980s and 90s. Now they were the real pan-Indian stars, it’s just that the word was not in usage in their hay days.
“I wish the quality/potential of a movie is never judged on the basis of its theatrical income,” concludes Sudheesh.
Legendary director Satyajit Ray once said, “cinema’s characteristic forte is its ability to capture and communicate the intimacies of the human mind.” His timeless classics including Pather Panchaliare proof for it. The auteur from Kolkata weaved magic on the big screen through his vision. Cinema has always been organic, close to life, and at times larger than life!
The craze for films is unprecedented in India. From movies like Mother Indiathat evoked nationalist spirits to hard hitting social dramas like the recently released Jai Bhim, Indian cinema has come a long way.
But, cinema essentially has a universal language. It resonates with the emotions of millions of people across the globe. They laugh, cry, rage, and introspect, as the celluloid rolls on, sparking life on the giant screen.
Spartans like Stanley Kubrick, Mrinal Sen, K Balachander, K G George and Bharathan, created their own cinematic universes through their lenses.
Cinema never had any boundaries.