Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘Aadujeevitham’ opened in theatres on March 28 amid much fanfare and received rave reviews from all corners. The film got off to a good start at the Kerala box office and in select overseas markets. It, however, ended up being a non-starter in Hindi. This interestingly, is not the first time a Malayalam film has failed to woo viewers in the North. Previously, the Hindi versions of Mammootty’s ‘Mamangam’ and Mohanlal’s ‘Marakkar’ sank without a trace in Hindi.
Meanwhile, the Telugu film industry has emerged as the hub for pan-India content with films like the Prabhas-led ‘Baahubali’ and the Allu Arjun-fronted ‘Pushpha’. Similarly, the ‘KGF’ series and ‘2.0’ opened new avenues for Kannada and Tamil cinema respectively.
So, what’s preventing Mollywood from scaling new heights?
‘Aadujeevitham’ and More: Why don’t pan-India Malayalam Films Work?
‘Baahubali’ and the ‘KGF’ sagas emerged as massive hits mainly because they hit screens amid extensive promotions. Farhan Akhtar backed the Hindi version of ‘KGF’, which helped it secure a wide release in the North, Similarly, Karan Johar distributed ‘Baahubali’ in Hindi, which helped it grab eyeballs in the market.
Thank you Sridevi teacher! Will forever treasure this! ❤️🙏 #AADUJEEVITHAM #TheGoatLife pic.twitter.com/SgJQe2TmYq
— Prithviraj Sukumaran (@PrithviOfficial) April 4, 2024
Such efforts are missing when it comes to pan-India films from Mollywood. According to Akshaye Rathi, an exhibitor, Malayalam films need to be marketed aggressively to have a chance of breaking the language barrier.
ALSO READ: ‘Aadujeevitham’ Box Office Update: Prithviraj Film Fails to Make an Impact in Hindi | Exclusive
“So far there has been a lack of effort with regards to promoting films. Merely releasing a film is not enough. You also need to promote it aggressively. It is not a one-day deal,” he told News X.
Rathi had previously pointed out there was no awareness about Aadujeevitham in Hindi despite positive reviews.
Does Mollywood Need to Rely More on Star Power?
Malayalam cinema’s dependence on content over star power too has limited its reach in the Hindi belt. According to Sreedhar Pillai, a tracker, pan-India Tamil and Telugu films are similar to Bollywood ones in terms of presentation.
“Malayalam films are rooted in Malayalam culture and have realistic narratives. Commercial pan-India films from Tamil and Telugu are larger-than-life and have mass elements. That way, they are similar to commercial Hindi films. Also, in Malayalam, the focus is more on content than star power,” he told News X.
Coming back to ‘Aadujeevitham’, it is a survival drama the centres on a Malayali immigrant worker forced into slavery on a secluded farm in Saudi Arabia. The cast includes Amala Paul, Jimmy Jean-Louis, and KR Gokul. AR Rahman is its music composer.
‘Aadujeevitham’ is currently playing in theatres
