Why Nayanthara can't drive a Malayalam film to commercial success?

When the Hema Committee report, which is of the Hema Commission constituted by the Kerala government to investigate the problems faced by women in Malayalam cinema  was released, female actors raised significant concerns about not feeling safe in their workplace and highlighted the issue of pay inequality compared to their male counterparts. They also noted that this type of discrimination is less common in other sectors.

It's important to understand that comparing the wages of actors and technicians in films with regular salaried employees in other jobs isn't entirely fair. The film industry operates differently. Actors' pay can vary widely due to market demands and their star status, whereas salaries in other sectors typically increase with experience and seniority without gender discrimination.

In employment organizations, wages are generally set by labour departments and follow specific rules. So, while there are challenges in the film industry, addressing pay inequality and safety should be based on industry-specific factors and not simply compared to other sectors.

Remuneration in the film industry can vary greatly. Gender discrimination isn’t the main issue here. The pay for actors is largely based on the market value of the film, which is influenced by the film’s initial box office collection. 

Regardless of the film’s quality, a star actor will earn a set percentage from its earnings. This fluctuation continues even when the film is shown on TV channels or streaming platforms. A film featuring a major star can receive much higher viewership and revenue compared to one with a lesser-known actor. Platforms like OTT services have systems to accurately measure this through ratings and viewer engagement.

Why actresses can’t be superstars?

Even at her peak, Urvashi, one of Malayalam cinema’s best actresses, couldn’t single-handedly make a film a major hit. All of Urvashi's successful films had a prominent hero alongside her. For instance, in the film Thalayanamanthram, which focused on the heroine, there were two popular heroes, Jayaram and Srinivasan, as well as the renowned director Sathyan Anthikadu.

Take Manju Warrier, often called a lady superstar by the media. While Manju is certainly a popular actress, her successful films have always featured big heroes. For example, in How Old Are You, she starred alongside Kunchacko Boban, who had significant market value. Udaharanam Sujatha is the only film where Manju is the sole lead and succeeded on her own, though even then, she starred alongside Joju George, who also had star appeal.

Manju Warrier's solo films, like Vellarikpatnam, didn't perform well at the box office, but this isn’t her fault. Most people go to the cinema primarily because of the male stars. This star-centric attitude makes it hard for actresses to maintain a long-term career. Unlike in the past, no actress today stays prominent for more than about five years. Knowing this, many new actresses quickly move to Tamil and Telugu films, which offer better pay, as soon as they finish a project. This trend is seen in other languages as well.

No other actress has been worshipped to the extent like the way Sridevi got. But even she couldn’t also shoulder a film on her own. Typically, heroines have been in the background compared to heroes. The only notable exception is Nayanthara. When she gets a strong role, her films do well even without a prominent hero or with a less popular one. Her movies also perform better on other platforms. Similarly, action heroine Vijayashanti once enjoyed great success in Telugu cinema, but eventually, she also faded from the spotlight.

That’s not the case with big stars. A film starring Mammootty will always make money, no matter who directs it. The film's success is almost guaranteed, so even if these stars are paid a lot, producers see it as a safe investment.

Junior Artists v/s Superstars

For junior artists, the situation is different. There’s no distinction between men and women here—they both receive the same pay. As daily wage workers, they get a fixed amount regardless of their gender. Their pay doesn’t impact the film’s business, much like how an office job would. In contrast, the pay for actresses and other key roles can vary and isn't as straightforward to determine. 

For senior actresses, things have changed. Many who were once leading heroines are now getting casted in supporting roles, like mothers. These roles are not very in-demand, so they only receive modest pay for these parts. Their opportunities are limited, and getting any role often depends on someone’s decision.

However, actress Urvashi’s situation is different. She has a unique talent that no one else can match, and certain roles, like the one in Achuvinte Amma, are hard to imagine being played by anyone else. Because of this, producers are willing to pay her a significant amount, sometimes up to half a crore, for her roles. Even today, films starring Urvashi are successful. In contrast, leading actresses in Malayalam films generally earn much less compared to their male counterparts.

Manju Warrier and Parvathy are the only actresses who have reached the one crore mark in their earnings. However, having these names in a film doesn’t guarantee its success. For instance, despite being a well-made film, Urvashi and Parvathy Thiruvoth's Ullozhuk didn’t perform well at the box office. The film's lack of success wasn’t solely due to the absence of a strong lead character. Currently, the trend is towards entertaining movies, and even female audiences are not drawn to sad films. The reality is that no one enjoys a movie that makes them cry.

Which heroine is capable shouldering a film?

Currently, there is no heroine in Malayalam cinema who can single-handedly drive popular comedy and action films. Vani Vishwanath, once known as an action heroine, is no longer active in the industry. Even during her time, she never had a track record of carrying a film to success on her own. Urvashi is known for her comedic roles, and while there are some newer actresses like Rajeesh Vijayan, none have reached superstar status. Even Nayanthara, often hailed as a leading star of South Indian cinema, would struggle to carry a Malayalam film without strong support from a lead actor.

The reality is that it’s practically impossible to create a successful film movement with a single heroine at the forefront. Gender discrimination in terms of wages isn’t really the issue; it’s more about the market value of the actor. There’s a clear distinction between actors with significant market value and those without. For example, despite being a highly acclaimed actor with numerous national and state awards, Manoj K. Jayan’s market value is different. Among actresses, Manju Warrier and Parvathy command higher fees compared to National Award winner Surabhi Lakshmi, reflecting their greater market value in leading roles.

Let’s hope that in the future, a heroine emerges who can generate substantial revenue by leading a film on her own, surpassing even the popularity of heroes. We have examples like Nayanthara, who have shown that it’s possible. Major global companies like Amazon are willing to invest billions in acquiring such films and even in their personal journeys. When the circumstances are right, being a woman is not a hindrance.