Tamil cinema in 2024: Average first half, resurgent second half?

With Tamil cinema experiencing a lull in 2024, industry insiders discuss potential reasons behind the same, and with Indian 2, Kanguva, The Greatest Of All Time, and more yet to release, wonder if we are set for a star-studded resurgence in the second half of the year

The boom of Tamil-language entertainment content and the constant chatter about Kollywood on social media might deceive you, but it is no longer easy to pick a new film to watch. Tamil cinema has just gotten through a jittery five months into 2024, with only a handful of titles tasting varying degrees of success at the box-office.

Through every hopeful opening on a Friday morning, or a well-cut trailer promising to deliver the goods, fans have held their breath for a revival in the scene, only to be left underwhelmed. But firstly, is there really an issue here, or is it an exaggerated reaction in an industry known to be quite volatile? Even in the last four years, when the industry relied on stars to clutch through the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has not been a lack of big-budget star vehicles, or smaller content-driven projects, especially in the first half of the year.

2024 paints quite a stark image in comparison. The big star vehicles that were released for Pongal — Dhanush’s Captain Miller and Sivakarthikeyan’s Ayalaan— failed to do well, and the same goes for Lal Salaam, which had Rajinikanth in an extended cameo. However, these three titles still remain the highest-grossing films of the year. Of course, there have been exceptions, like the wonderful gem that was Loveror the mid-budget winner that Aranmanai 4 turned out to be at the box-office. Kavin’s Star made a splash on its opening weekend, and films like Blue Star, J Baby and the Vijay Sethupathi-starrer Merry Christmas did reasonably well in theatres and on streaming. And yet, these remain exceptions in an industry that produces hundreds of films every calendar year.

As several industry sources point out, there were no indications of such a drought at the box-office early in the year. Kollywood might have fared well if big-budget projects like Kanguva, Thangalaanand Indian 2 — all of which had initially locked a release date in the first half of 2024 — had brought their grand vision to screens. However, call it a pursuit towards perfecting the post-production or just being mindful of getting a release window, but most star films in Tamil Nadu hardly manage to make it to the announced release date.

Producer Kalaipuli S Thanu reminds us that sticking to a plan is easier said than done in a business such as cinema. “There might be delays in the CGI, or some unknown factor causing postponements in the shooting. Sometimes, productions have to wait for the dates of a supporting actor playing an important role. We can never blame productions for these delays.”

Meanwhile, producer PL Thenappan pins the blame on the ever-prolonging negotiations with satellite and streaming rights. “There are only a handful of players in satellite and streaming, and in such an oligopoly — in which only a few set the price — the parties might struggle to find a middle ground,” he says.

If this is the case for star vehicles, 2024 might turn out to be the dullest of years in a long time for small or medium-budget films. The first half of this year is in extreme contrast to that of 2023, which saw the likes of Dada, Por Thozhil, Good Night and Ayothi paving the way for young filmmakers. To make matters worse this time, the overwhelming number of star films eyeing a release window later this year might be cause for trouble as well.