Malayalam Cinema’s Box Office Victories & Challenges: An In-depth Examination of the Successes and Setbacks in the first four months of 2024(Photo Credit –Instagram)
According to Mathrubhumi, the film Manjummel Boys accrued a sum exceeding Rs 75 crore solely from South Indian states, excluding its home territory of Kerala. This achievement underscores the broader success of Malayalam cinema, which has received notable recognition in adjacent regions such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
February was the most impactful month, featuring noteworthy films like ‘Anweshippin Kandethum,’ ‘Premalu,’ ‘Bramayugam,’ and ‘Manjummel Boys.’ ‘Anweshippin Kandethum’ debuted alongside ‘Premalu.’ Contrary to initial predictions, ‘Premalu’ surpassed ‘Anweshippin Kandethum’ in terms of success. Despite starring Tovino Thomas, ‘Anweshippin Kandethum’ fell short of surpassing ‘Premalu,’ which grossed Rs 128 crores worldwide. ‘Anweshippin Kandethum’ was also a commercial success.
Premalu (Photo Credit – IMDb)
Next week, ‘Bramayugam,’ a black-and-white horror thriller featuring superstar Mammootty as the villain, hit the screens. This film delves into sacred mystery, mythology, and Kerala folklore. Mammootty’s cameo as the villain in ‘Abraham Ozler’ in January surprised audiences, but in ‘Bramayugam,’ he takes on the villainous role for the entirety of the movie. ‘Bramayugam’ grossed Rs 58 crores worldwide.
Following ‘Bramayugam’ was ‘Thundu,’ a comedic film starring Biju Menon in the lead role. It centered around academic dishonesty. However, it failed to resonate with audiences and critics, producing poor box office performance.
Bramayugam (Photo Credit – IMDb)
Then, the Malayalam film industry witnessed an unprecedented success story with ‘Manjummel Boys,’ a gripping survival thriller crafted by Chidambaram. Its remarkable box office performance, surpassing all expectations, solidified its place in history. Despite a modest production budget of Rs 20 crore, the film’s global earnings soared over Rs 235, setting a new milestone as the highest-grossing Malayalam movie ever. The sale of its OTT rights to Disney Plus Hotstar for Rs 20 crores, mirroring its production budget, further underlined its commercial prowess. Beyond Kerala, its popularity resonated across South Indian states, cementing its status as a regional blockbuster. In February, 19 Malayalam movie releases were released, with only 4 achieving success.
So, in March, which marks the end of the quarter, the first movie on our list is ‘Thankamani,’ starring Dileep and based on a real-life occurrence in Thankamany in October 1986. Despite significant hype surrounding the film, it flopped at the box office.
Up next is ‘Anchakkallakokkan,’ a crime drama set in 1986. Although initially received positive responses and reviews, the film flopped due to a lack of word-of-mouth publicity and a poorly crafted script. Nonetheless, it showcased stunning visuals and remarkable stunt choreography.
Our next highlight is ‘Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life,’ a gripping survival drama that has been a massive success. Blessy took on the roles of writer, director, and co-producer for this film adaptation of Benyamin’s acclaimed Malayalam novel from 2008. The movie brings Najeeb’s story to the screen, with Prithviraj Sukumaran, Hollywood star Jimmy Jean-Louis, and K. R. Gokul leading the cast. With a worldwide box office gross of Rs 157 crores as of April 30, 2024, and still playing in theaters, it’s a monumental achievement for the Malayalam film industry.
The Goat Life (Photo Credit – IMDb)
March proved challenging for the Malayalam film industry, with only 1 box office success out of 25 films released. However, the impact was mitigated by carryover movies from February, which continued to draw audiences to theaters.
April marks the beginning of the financial year, and on April 11, 2024, three films— ‘Aavesham,‘ ‘Varshangalkku Shesham,’ and ‘Jai Ganesh’—were released simultaneously targeting the Vishu holiday audience. ‘Aavesham’ and ‘Varshangalkku Shesham’ saw significant success, with ‘Aavesham’ emerging as the critical and financial standout. Directed by Jithu Madhavan and starring Fahadh Faasil, ‘Aavesham’ is an action comedy that continues to run in theaters. As of May 3, 2024, it has achieved a staggering worldwide box office gross of Rs. 138 crores, solidifying its status as a significant hit.
‘Jai Ganesh’ has received mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. It struggled to stand out against the competition posed by ‘Varshangalkku Shesham’ and ‘Aavesham.’ Had it been released without such intense competition, it would have had a better chance at success.
The last movie we’ll discuss is Pavi Caretaker, produced by and starring Dileep in the lead role. It’s been mostly panned by critics, with the Times of India dubbing it ‘A Typical Dileep Comedy’ in their review headline, which, given Dileep’s recent career path, isn’t exactly flattering. Furthermore, several reviewers have compared Pavi Caretaker to ’90s films. Out of the 12 movies released in April, only four had a shot at success.
Conclusion
While 2024 is hailed as a golden era for Malayalam cinema at the box office, the reality is somewhat different. Only some movies have the potential for success, but compared to recent years, there are more Malayalam films in 2024 with that potential. I hope that more potential blockbusters can hit the screens at the opportune moment. Luck undoubtedly plays a significant role in a film’s success, alongside audience preferences and other factors. Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below.
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
