An image of a theatre corridor. (courtesy: Pexels)

New Delhi:

Film business tracker Sreedhar Pillai has shared issues concerning the challenges confronted by theatres in Tamil Nadu. In an in depth put up on X (previously often known as Twitter), he acknowledged, “Not a great start for Tamil cinema at the box-office in the beginning of 2024. The theatrical run has been reduced to a week and in some cases the opening weekend! Theatres in TN [Tamil Nadu] are struggling to pay their electricity bills as shows get cancelled especially at noon and matinee on working days. Canteen sales are at an all time low as audiences are keeping away from cinemas.” 

Sreedhar Pillai additionally emphasised the rising desire for OTT platforms, which has led to a decline in theatre attendance. He talked about, “Most people realise in less than a month after a film’s theatrical release it can be watched on OTT! Meanwhile the show must go on as more than a dozen Tamil films are scheduled to hit the screens in the next two months!”

Not an incredible begin for #Tamil cinema on the box-office at first of 2024. The theatrical run has been diminished to per week and in some instances the opening weekend! Theatres in TN are struggling to pay their electrical energy payments as reveals get cancelled particularly midday & matinee on…

— Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) February 6, 2024

This put up got here hours after Bollywood commerce analyst Taran Adarsh shared his huge tackle the division throughout the movie business. Through an in depth notice on X (previously Twitter), the movie critic delved into how latest releases like Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki and Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone starrer Fighter have created a noticeable hole between “urban centres” and “mass pockets.” He wrote, “URBAN CENTRES VS MASS POCKETS: THE BIG DIVIDE… The Box office response to Dunki [December 2023] and Fighter [January 2024] —both driven by star names, on and off screen—clearly indicates the significant divide in the film biz today.”

Taran Adarsh additionally careworn that the duty for this disparity doesn’t relaxation with the viewers however reasonably with filmmakers who wrestle to generate content material that resonates past metropolitan areas. The movie critic talked about, “The fault *doesn’t* lie with the moviegoing audience, but filmmakers / storytellers, who aren’t able to deliver content that strike a chord with audiences *beyond metros*… The disparity in film business is for all to see, with urban centres embracing the films, but mass centres staying away from it.” 

URBAN CENTRES VS MASS POCKETS: THE BIG DIVIDE… The #BO response to #Dunki [Dec 2023] and #Fighter [Jan 2024] – each pushed by star names, on and off display – clearly signifies the large divide in movie biz right now.

The fault *would not* lie with the moviegoing viewers, however filmmakers… pic.twitter.com/MMQ8utyTqm

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 6, 2024

Meanwhile, the subsequent huge Tamil launch, Laal Salaam, will hit the large display this Friday, February 9. Directed by Aishwarya Rajinikanth, the movie options megastar Rajinikanth, Vishnu Vishal, and Vikranth in key roles.