Ragam Theatre in Thrissur revamped for 'Empuraan'; sells 15,000 tickets in a single day

As 'Empuraan,' the highly anticipated Mohanlal-starrer, gears up for its March 27 release, Ragam Theatre in Thrissur is all set to welcome the film with a refurbished screening experience. While online ticket sales began across various platforms, Ragam has chosen to go the offline route, drawing eager fans to the theatre as early as 5 AM, with tickets selling out in no time.

With bookings for the first five days fully reserved, the theatre extended bookings for 14 days, says Sunil A K, owner of Ragam Theatre. According to him, the theatre’s recent upgrades include the installation of a Christie projector, a rarity in India, along with a Hugo screen by Harkness. All seats and acoustic systems too have been replaced, ensuring a state-of-the-art viewing experience.

"The release of Empuraan has breathed new life into theatres. Given the current booking trends, this movie is bound to become a massive success," Sunil told Manorama Online. Sunil, who has produced a few movies like 'Vijay Superum Pournamiyum' and 'Oru Thekkan Thallu Case,' is also a film distributor.

A grand upgrade for a grand film 
"Ragam Theatre is now equipped with world-class technology," Sunil emphasised. "We have installed a Christie projector, which is extremely rare in the country itself, and paired it with a Hugo screen by Harkness. In addition, all seats have been replaced and the acoustic systems too have been completely upgraded. These changes were made in preparation for the grand release of Empuraan."

According to him, ticket bookings for the movie are now open for 14 days, with initial round of bookings for five days selling out immediately. With overwhelming demand, the extended bookings are also nearing 50% occupancy. "It has been a long time since a film has received such a phenomenal response," Sunil noted.

Sunil expects 'Empuraan' to surpass its predecessor, Lucifer, in scale and impact. He also believes the film has the potential to revitalise not just theatres but the entire film industry. "Empuraan is a massive production, a result of years of hard work by a team of stars. For all their efforts to pay off, the film needs to be a huge success."With the vacation season beginning alongside its release, the ticket sales already indicate it will be a blockbuster," he said.

Sunil noted that advance booking trends often determine a film’s success, and given the overwhelming response, he is confident that Empuraan is already a winner. "Earlier, we could gauge the audience’s response to a movie based on ticket bookings as whether it would succeed or not was often clear from the demand. Given the overwhelming advance sales, I firmly believe this movie is already a success," Sunil added.

One of the standout aspects of Ragam Theatre is its dedicated fan base. "Many people prefer booking tickets in person rather than online. Even if they don’t get a ticket for their preferred show, they immediately book for another day or time. That’s why we have extended the bookings for this movie beyond the initial five days to 14 days," he explained. "Anyway, 15,000 tickets have already been sold here in a single day. Compared to other theatres, that’s about 50% more in sales. This level of high-end booking is truly remarkable."

A theatre owner, producer, and distributor
As a theatre owner, producer, and distributor, Sunil understands the challenges involved in making and releasing a film. "I’m not just a theatre owner. I’ve produced films like 'Vijay Superum Pournamiyum' and 'Oru Thekkan Thallu Case'' through my production house, Surya Movies. I know firsthand the hard work that goes into filmmaking."
Hoping for Empuraan’s grand success, Sunil expressed his wish that the film’s triumph would rekindle momentum in the Malayalam film industry.