It would probably be the first time in history that the most-celebrated festival in Kerala, Onam, went by like just any other normal day. The absence of films scheduled to release around Onam is one of the major factors that contributed towards this vibe. It cannot be denied that the state stood as one big family amid this time of crisis. People gave immense priority to the well-being of their fellow beings rather than celebrating a festival. The cinema industry too became a part of it. The actors, instead of promoting their movies, were seen indulging wholeheartedly in rescue operations during the floods.

However, the loss Mollywood has incurred, though not directly by the floods, is also huge. Around six movies, including big-budget movies like Kayamkulam Kochunni and Theevandi, the release date of which had already been changed multiple times, were set to hit the theatres this Onam. Stakeholders in the industry share their opinions on a ‘no-release’ Onam. Fellini T.P., debutantedirector of Tovino-starrer Theevandi, says he didn't feel surprised or sad when the release date was postponed again and again. “Moreover, I didn’t feel bad because this time it was for a good cause.We make movies for the audiences to watch and get entertained.





A still from the movie Oru Kuttanadan Blog.
A still from the movie Oru Kuttanadan Blog.

Though earning a profit in the business we do is very important, we completely understand the success or failure of a movie is directly proportional to the number of people who watch it and give their opinions. So I think it was a wise idea to have postponed the release of the movies. But entertainment is something that we cannot live without. Once these problems subside, and the movies are released, I am sure the movies will do well as there are a bunch of entertainment packages waiting for the audience,” he adds. The most-affected ones, however, are the producers as their money is at stake.

The congestion caused has forced the makers to even extend the dates. Kayamkulam Kochunni will now hit the screens only in October. Oru Kuttanadan Blog too, which was an Onam gift for Mammootty fans, will now be released on September 21 (The dates are still not confirmed and can change). Commenting on the plight of the Malayalam film industry, Shantha Muraleedharan, producer of the Mammootty-starrer OKB, says, “The floods that devoured Kerala have taken everything from many of our fellow beings, leaving them devastated. In this situation, I think the losses that we have incurred, though are important, are meager. However, Malayalees are getting back to normal life and I am sure that going to a movie might be one of the first things we might opt for when thinking about entertainment. Mostly, the release of a movie is delayed due to internal issues. However, this is not the situation now. As makers, we are ready with the finished product and are sure that people will make our movies grand successes.”

A still from the movie Padayottam.
A still from the movie Padayottam.

In addition to the Onam releases getting postponed, the shooting for a couple of movies, which were set to release later this year, has been extended as the locations for the movies have been hit by floods and will take time to revive. Mammootty-starrer Madhuraraja and Kunchacko Boban-starrer Allu Ramendran are among them. Talking about the same Ashiq Usman, producer of Allu Ramendran is of the opinion that postponing the shoot of yet-to-release films has caused many inconveniences like the dates of various actors clashing with the newly assigned shooting dates. This has, in turn, led to many uncertainties in fixing their release dates. Moreover, it also seems that the locations have to be shifted or recreated if more scenes are to be filmed.

The audiences who eagerly wait for Onam releases too have had to taste disappointment as none of their favourite actors’ movies released. Vijay Nath, a multimedia student says, “I was looking forward to Oru Kuttanadan Blog this Onam as I am a Mammootty fan. I was disappointed when I came to know that there are no releases this festive season. However, I am glad that it was for our state and people that every celebration was kept aside. I too was a part of rescue operations at Kottayam and I don’t regret that Onam went by without watching a movie.”