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Success of ‘RDX’ and ‘Jailer’ rekindles hopes of Kerala exhibitors

'King of Kotha', 'Ramachandra Boss & Co.', and 'RDX' were the three major Onam releases in Malayalam this year.

Arjun Ramachandran

Published Sep 08, 2023 | 1:00 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 08, 2023 | 1:07 PM

A boon for the Malayalam box office

A boon for the Malayalam box office. (Supplied)

Onam celebrations are officially over. The festival season witnessed three major Malayalam films in the race.

Well, it was the time when Kerala theatres were looking for super hits since there were no path-breaking Malayalam movies after 2018 which was released in May this year.

However, the success of Jailer came as a huge relief as the cinema halls witnessed good footfalls. Two weeks later, RDX and King of Kotha opened with a good collection.

Dulquer Salmaan’s King of Kotha, Nivin Pauly’s Ramachandra Boss & Co. and RDX were the three major Onam releases.

RDX wins the race

Starring Shane Nigam, Antony Varghese, Neeraj Madhav, and Mahima Nambiar, RDX won the Onam race.

Made with a budget of ₹20 crore, it grossed ₹65 crore in two weeks worldwide. In Kerala, the movie grossed around ₹40 crore.

The Nahas Hidhayath’s directorial garnered a good response from audiences and critics alike as the movie is an entertainer with action sequences which is apt for a festival season.

RDX still has a good run in theatres, though Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan has been released and is running to packed houses.

According to a Palakkad-based theatre manager, the cinema hall recorded houseful shows during the Onam holidays. Even special shows were screened at midnight to meet the demand.

A Kochi-based exhibitor stated that they screened multiple shows for RDX which happens only in rare cases.

Related: ‘RDX’ is a high-octane action entertainer with stylish fights

King of Kotha fights back negative campaign

As per trade analysts, Dulquer Salmaan’s King of Kotha grossed ₹38 crore worldwide to date. The movie was made on a budget of ₹30-40 crore.

However, it had to face a targeted negative campaign since the opening day which the makers complained of.

Director Abhilash Joshiy told South First that his debut movie faced degrading from within the industry itself.

The movie had mixed reviews from the critics. Expectations were high for King of Kotha as the crew did aggressive promotions.

Rumours surfaced that the pan-Indian appeal of Dulquer Salmaan didn’t go well with some people in the industry who reportedly paid for negative reviews.

Related: Dulquer’s swag makes ‘King of Kotha’ a mass entertainer

Ramachandra Boss & Co falters

Ramachandra Boss & Co. didn’t have a good start itself at the box office. Directed by Haneef Adeni, the film managed to collect around ₹4 crore after 10 days, trade experts said.

Shot in Dubai, it was definitely not a small-budget movie. The makers filed a legal complaint against YouTube reviewers who allegedly asked the audience not to watch it.

Director Haneef Adeni, known for making stylish films, tried his luck in bringing out a comedy flick.

A comedy-heist drama, Ramachandra Boss & Co. couldn’t entertain audiences as they complained of a no-logic script and bad filmmaking. The critics, too, were harsh on the movie.

Given the scenario, Nivin Pauly, who previously delivered successful films, now needs a strong comeback.

Related: Nelson’s ‘Jailer’ is a perfect comeback for the Superstar

Jailer‘s successful run

Meanwhile, Rajini’s Jailer became a mega blockbuster in Kerala.

The Aries Plex Theatre in Trivandrum, a premium cinema hall, reportedly collected a whopping ₹1.32 crore in 25 days.

The movie had a gross collection of ₹57.10 crore from the State of Kerala and a share of approximately ₹21 crore. It witnessed approximately 40 lakh footfalls.

Jailer was distributed by Sree Gokulam Films which bought the theatrical rights for ₹6 crore.

Meanwhile, a majority of theatres ended screening Jailer as it has been premiered on the OTT.

Related: ‘Jawan’ is a hard-hitting commercial entertainer that reflects the sorry state of affairs in the country

Jawan breaks Pathaan records

Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan now entered the box office race with RDX.

On its first day, Atlee’s directorial earned about ₹3.5 crore. This is almost 80 percent higher than the previous record set by Shah Raukh’s Pathaan (2023) which earned ₹1.95 crore.

However, in Kerala, Jawan received an average response when compared to the other parts of the country. The Tamil version of the movie was also released in the State.

Meanwhile, Kasargold and Nadikalil Sundari Yamuna will hit the screens on 15 September. Hopes are running high on these films, too.

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