Kochi: Will the series of sexual allegations in the Malayalam film industry, triggered by the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, drive the audience away from cinemas? Will the image loss suffered by the sector affect the box office fortunes of the films set for Onam release? The ongoing ‘metoo storm’ poses fresh concerns for Mollywood which has been on a high in the first half of the year with back-to-back hits. While a section of industry insiders fear that the flood of allegations against even prominent people might trigger a revulsion towards films, especially among women, there is an overwhelming feeling that the perceived public anger will not reflect on the box office.
“There is some anxiety. I’m not denying it,” the producer of a film scheduled for Onam release told Onmanorama. “We are not sure whether people would be keen to go to theatres amid the controversies,” the producer with a history of box office hits said, without hiding his displeasure over the ‘media celebrating the issue’.
Tovino Thomas-starrer ‘Ajayante Randam Moshanam’, Asif Ali’s ‘Kishkkindhakandam’ and ‘Kondal’ starring Antony Varghese Pepe, are among the Malayalam films lined up for Onam release.
Another producer, who has not bankrolled any films recently, echoed the concern, saying, “People would feel some kind of dislike towards the industry, at least for some time.” He said the Malayalam industry has been going through the worst image crisis in its history.
However, Suresh Shenoy of Kochi’s famed Shenoy’s Theatre contradicted the producers’ fears, saying the concerns were out of place. He said the ongoing controversies will have ‘zero impact’ on theatre collections.
“We don’t see any such indications. The controversies will not be any deterrent for the people to watch films. Moreover, there are no releases of those facing allegations,” he said.
Saji Nanthiyattu, general secretary of the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce, echoed Shenoy’s optimism. He said there is no reason for film-goers to hate a character even though they may not like certain individuals. “If a film is good, as usual, people would throng theatres,” he said.
Dinjith Ayyathan, director of ‘Kishkkindhakandam’, exuded confidence that the row will not impact the Onam releases. “Ultimately, people would need cinema, especially during a festive season,” he said.
Associate director Varghese Antony also brushed aside the fears. He said the allegations have already been in the air, and there is no reason to doubt that the ongoing row would cause an aversion to cinema as a whole. “No allegation has come out against the current faces of Malayalam cinema, be it actors or directors. It shows the present and future of Malayalam cinema as a workplace are far better now,” he said.
