Mollywood hoping for more Manjummel Boys, itching to take on the world

Fuelled by a lineup of blockbuster films, this year has turned out to be a landmark for the Malayalam film industry with gross collections exceeding Rs 1,000 crore for the first time.

Two months shy of 2025, total earnings from the industry have topped Rs 1,100 crore, including revenue from OTT and satellite platforms, industry estimates indicate. Previously, the average annual earnings hovered around Rs 600 crore.

The spectacular success of several blockbuster films, each with earnings surpassing Rs 100 crore, has elevated collections to the current level. Manjummel Boys currently leads as the highest-grossing Malayalam film with earnings approaching the Rs 250-crore mark.

The Rs 100-crore milestone has been rare, achieved by just three films in the past: Pulimurugan in 2016, Lucifer in 2019, and 2018 in 2023. However, this year, six films have topped the figure. According to S.S.T. Subrahmanyan, general secretary of the Kerala Film Distributors Association, apart from Manjummel Boys, Aavesham, Premalu, Aadujeevitham, ARM, and Kishkindakandam have crossed the century mark in collections, with the latter two still running in theaters.

Films such as Varshangalku Shesham and Guruvayur Ambalanadayil have been smash hits. Abraham Ozler and Mammootty starrers Bramayugam and Turbo have proved successful at the box office. Vaazha, a film featuring newcomers, turned out to be a sleeper hit.

From Kerala to the world 

Mr Subrahmanyan noted that the industry’s increased revenue is partly due to the films’ success beyond Kerala. Manjummel Boys, which is set around an incident involving a group of youngsters in Tamil Nadu, earned nearly Rs 100 crore from that State alone. Similarly, Aavesham and Premalu, with stories set in Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively, were eagerly embraced by audiences in the neighbouring States. Aadujeevitham, depicting the struggles of a migrant worker from Kerala in Saudi Arabia, was a hit in the Gulf countries, despite being banned in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Interestingly, while Malayalam films enjoyed success in other states, several hit Tamil and Hindi films—which typically perform well in Kerala—did not meet revenue expectations this year. "The Vijay starrer Leo and Rajnikanth’s Jailer did well here earlier in the year. However, their subsequent films, GOAT and Vettaiyan, struggled to find an audience in Kerala. While the Hindi film Animal was appreciated by Kerala audiences, the national blockbuster Kalki received a lukewarm response," Mr Subrahmanyan said.

Though Mollywood has reached new heights in gross revenue, industry spokespersons point out that the majority of films released in the State fail at the box office. Approximately 200 films, including those dubbed in Malayalam from other languages, are released each year in Kerala. "Around 80 percent of these films flop. Among the rest, some become hits, while others break even. This year is no exception. But the films that did succeed earned more," said Sabu Cherian, former general secretary of Kerala Film Producers Association.

Soaring cost of production

The high cost of film production reduces whatever profit the producer earns. "Of the gross revenue, around 20 percent goes as tax, and about 35 to 40 percent goes to theatres. The producer receives what's left after deducting production and promotional costs. Films with superstars typically cost around Rs 20 crore," he said. Although Aadujeevitham collected over Rs 150 crore, its production cost reportedly was Rs 80 crore.

OTT and satellite channels have often been saviours for films that performed poorly in theaters. For instance, the Mohanlal starrer Maalaikkotta Vaaliban, which had a disappointing box office run, was acquired by an OTT platform for a large sum, helping the film break even.

However, OTT platforms appear to have become more selective, opting not to buy films that underperformed in the theatre. "They realized that producers were making low-budget films and demanding huge sums from OTT companies, so they’ve decided to buy only films that performed well in theaters," said K. Vijayakumar, president of the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala.

At the beginning of the year, the organisation had threatened to stop screening films, as producers were allegedly violating the 42-day window before releasing them on the OTT. However, with the OTTs slowing down on acquisitions, this is no longer an issue.

Renovated theatres, mounting losses 

"Currently, there are 645 screens in Kerala. Most owners have invested heavily in renovations and incur substantial expenses for electricity and other costs. Many are operating at a loss as only a few films attract a sufficient audience. ARM and Kishkindakandam have, however, provided a much-needed boost to theatres," Mr Vijayakumar observed.

The reluctance of OTT platforms to acquire flops has seemingly reduced the number of new releases. Compared to the first half of the year, fewer producers are willing to take the risk of making films without OTT support.

All industry stakeholders agree that it's hard to predict a film's success. They are cautiously optimistic about another bumper year and hope for another Manjummel Boys-like success in the upcoming months. But they know it's not every year that such big-time box office hits happen.