Analyzing changing trends in theatrical releases, post-pandemic
What's the story
Multiple sectors and industries bore the brunt of the ramifications of the pandemic, and showbiz was no different.
As people got restricted to their homes, theaters temporarily shut down, and OTT platforms gradually replaced theaters as viewers' go-to option.
Now that the pandemic has receded and the audience is back in theaters, we analyze the pattern across films that are taking the theatrical route.
Films that are working
Action films with 'massy' elements seem to be working
Films that have worked in the theaters post-pandemic usually have the same pattern—massy action thrillers (Pathaan, Sooryavanshi), films riding high on special effects (Brahmastra), and heroes with a larger-than-life personality that fits into the escapist cinema mold (RRR).
Sometimes, the anticipation from the viewers for a movie due to its subject or due to the stardom of the lead actor also contributes massively.
Religious stories
A religious core has connected well with the audience
Another common denominator that is evident across post-pandemic films is the appeal of projects that have some religious/nationalistic story at their core.
Take, for instance, The Kashmir Files, which narrated the story of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, and The Kerala Story, which speaks about forceful religious conversions.
Karthikeya 2 and Kantara were also raging successes due to their rooted storylines.
Unsuccessful films
Good content but few screens aka box office bombs
It has been observed that several films, even when they are led by well-known names, have not worked well at the box office, and this usually happens due to the lack of buzz, next to no marketing, and the lack of screens.
Some recent examples of such movies are Afwaah, Bheed, Faraaz, and 8 AM Metro, which was released last Friday in selected theaters.
Twitter Post
'8AM Metro' actor Gulshan Devaiah tweeted about lack of screens
Hello 🙂
— “SuperGullu” (@gulshandevaiah) May 19, 2023
Perhaps it was a foolish decision to release this movie in the cinemas, but perhaps it’s courageous of the Director Raj R & @LongLive_Cinema to do so.
We love making movies & we love the cinematic experience. Ah! the magic of cinema!! 🙌
Foolish or courageous ? .. time… pic.twitter.com/vWnawAGEiK
Films with A-listers
Do movies starring big names always work? Not exactly
There was a time when films headlined by A-list actors always acted as crowd-pullers, but the same cannot be said in the post-pandemic scenario when the OTT boom created several options for viewers to choose from.
Ranbir Kapoor's Shamshera, Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha, and Akshay Kumar's Selfiee are testimony that now, content has largely taken precedence over stardom.