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Master class

Express News Service

When theatres in Tamil Nadu opened to the public in November after almost an eight-month hiatus, filmmakers and theatre owners alike saw a ray of light. Despite the stringent 50 percent occupancy rule and other safety measures that made movie-going a less enjoyable experience and an additional source of financial distress for theatre owners, the industry hoped situations would improve. The December release of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet did bring a considerable crowd back to the big screens, but it wasn’t enough. In fact, smaller films such as Biskoth and Kavalthurai Ungal Nanban failed to make a mark. The situation couldn’t have been bleaker. And then came Master. Keeping true to his style, superstar Vijay single-handedly managed to pull the business out of the rut.  

The Lokesh Kanagaraj-directorial that refused to be tempted by the lure of an OTT release has set the box office ringing. “There has been a complete turn-around in the film exhibition scene after Master. Even those filmmakers who had previously been planning to bring their unreleased films on OTT platforms are now reconsidering their decision,” says producer G Dhananjayan, whose film Kabadadaari has just hit theatres. Ironically, ahead of the release, the superstar had requested the state government to lift the 50 percent occupancy rule. And the Tamil Nadu government had agreed. But following severe backlash and intervention from the Ministry of Home Affairs, it went on the backfoot. Did that stop Master from hitting the bull’s eye? “It’s like a ‘before Master’ and ‘after Master’ time for the Tamil film industry,” believes Kabadadaari director Pradeep Krishnamoorthy, adding, “Vijay has brought into theatres even those people who hesitated earlier. That’s the difference. The film industry should be grateful to him and this film.”

Given that the central government has now consented to 100 percent theatre occupancy along with a new set of SOPs, things seem more optimistic. The manager of Albert Theatre, Mariyappan, is overjoyed. “This decision will change audience perception about theatres. Films like Chakra (starring Vishal) will tell us if we are right,” he says. The question right now is whether the footfall will come for only star-driven films such as Master or will the smaller ones also get their share of the sun. “It all depends on the volume of the releases in the coming months. We need new films every week. Master has done its bit by making sure that people have a taste of the theatre experience once again,” Rakesh Gowthaman, the proprietor of Vettri Theatres says, adding, “Earlier, even the regulars had disappeared. These were people who would throng theatres, regardless of the quality of the film or the profile of its actors. But they are all back with Master.”

The Vijay-starrer has also managed another enviable feat—the makers decided to go in for an OTT release less than three weeks from its theatrical release. The film is already streaming on Amazon Prime for those who are still wary of stepping into a theatre. But the fact that it is available on a streaming platform has not dented its theatre revenue. Also, earlier there used to be an agreement between theatre owners and filmmakers that if a film was running in theatres, it would not be screened on OTTs. Master seems to have completely changed the rules of the game. Not just that, it’s also noteworthy that while commercial cinema is often written off for not being daring enough in terms of content, Master has shown that it is such cinema that has brought back the crowds now. “No small film, however good, could have pulled off such a feat,” believes Dhananjayan, who expects Salman Khan’s Radhe to have a similar effect on Bollywood. Will the other ‘Master’ strike a perfect score too? 

Source: The New Indian Express