The success of 'Premalu', 'Anweshippin Kandethum', 'Bramayugam', and 'Manjummel Boys' gave a new lease of life to the Malayalam industry.
The superhit Malayalam films of February. (Supplied)
2023 wasn’t a great year for Malayalam Cinema. Romancham and 2018: Everyone is A Hero were the only two Malayalam films that became superhits in the first couple of months.
But in 2024, the Malayalam film industry has already witnessed four major box-office hits.
It’s “Superhit February” for Mollywood as Bramayugam, Premalu, Anweshippin Kandethum, and Manjummel Boys have set the cash registers ringing. All these Malayalam films were released in different weeks of February.
February is usually not a good month for exhibitors and the industry. There are hardly any holidays because of which it is termed a dull month, trade-wise.
Last year, Romacham, released on 3 February, ran to packed houses and even entered the ₹50-crore club.
Pranaya Vilasam, which was released on 24 February last year, too, became a success. It was not a blockbuster though.
Exhibitors revealed that Romancham came as a huge relief for them as the cinema halls were reeling under the Covid restrictions.
Abraham Ozler, released in January 2024, was the first superhit of the year.
Mohanlal’s Malaikottai Vaaliban didn’t meet the expectations of the audience. Its slow pace didn’t help the movie draw crowds to the theatres.
Aattam, directed by Anand Ekarshi and featuring Vinay Forrt, Zarin Shihab, Kalabhavan Shah John and a bunch of new actors, had a good run in cinema halls, especially multiplexes.
Coming back to February releases, both Premalu and Anweshippin Kandethum were released on the same date and opened to critical acclaim.
A romantic comedy, Premalu attracted the youth and family audience.
Interestingly, it got wide appreciation also from non-Malayalam speaking audiences.
The film registered a good collection in domestic and international markets.
On its 13th day, Premalu entered the elite ₹50-crore club. It earned over ₹30 crore from the domestic market.
It garnered ₹26.10 crore from Kerala alone, ₹20.50 from overseas, and over ₹3.50 crore from the rest of India.
Meanwhile, Anweshippin Kandethum continues to hold steady at the box office.
The Malayalam film is devoid of any elevations we usually see in cop stories, like the Singham series. Debutant director Darwin Kuriakose keeps it realistic.
The story is complemented by brilliant artwork, apt music and background score, and crisper editing.
As far as Mammootty’s Bramayugam is concerned, the movie collected over ₹40 crore thus far and is seeing good competition from Premalu.
It is widely appreciated for its Black-and-White format and Mammootty’s stellar performance.
Arjun Ashokan and Siddharth Bharathan also played key roles in the flick.
The movie is still going strong with over 200 screens witnessing houseful shows in Kerala.
Malayalam Cinema 2024 February —
Premalu
Anweshippin Kandethum
Bramayugam
Manjummel BoysTOP FORM. STANDING TALL. pic.twitter.com/5TcKHg0jnm
— AB George (@AbGeorge_) February 22, 2024
On 22 February, Manjummel Boys opened to a tremendous response. The survival thriller created hype among the youth as the film crew visited several colleges in Kerala for promotions.
The song “Kuthanthram” from the Malayalam film became popular soon after its launch.
Around 100 late-night shows were added on the opening day after Manjummel Boys got a hit talk.
The flick also saw good pre-sales by earning ₹ 1.47 crore.
On day 1, the film collected an estimated ₹ 3 crore from the domestic market and a gross of ₹6 crore.
The buzz from theatres shows that the movie will have a good weekend collection.
Manjummel Boys is a survival thriller which revolves around a group of 10 friends who get trapped in the Guna Caves in Kodaikanal. It is based on a real-life incident.
On Friday, 22 February, the real-life Manjummel Boys told the media that they were truly impressed with the movie and appreciated the entire team for their effort.
Interestingly, all these four hit Malayalam films released in February are of different genres.
Premalu is a romantic comedy, while Bramayugam is a horror thriller. Anweshippin Kandethum is an investigative thriller, while Manjummel Boys is a survival thriller.
Well, it indeed is a superhit February!
Protest by FEUOK
Meanwhile, the ongoing protest by the Federation of United Exhibitors of Kerala (FEUOK) has become a cause of concern for other associations in the Malayalam industry.
The Film Employees’ Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) requested the FEUOK to reconsider their decision.
In a statement, the FEFKA averred that at a time when films were doing good business, the FEUOKs’ decision not to screen new films in cinema halls would affect the trade.
According to sources, a meeting is expected to be held among various associations in the industry to arrive at an amicable solution.
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