The Malayalam cinema industry recently saw an unplanned phenomenon with the out-of-the-blue release of Thudaram, featuring superstar Mohanlal. Although there was low pre-release hype and limited promotions, the film stormed the box office, crossing the ₹50 crore mark within three days. The word of mouth and the unanimous critical acclaim it gained bewildered both audiences and insiders alike. However, even amidst this roaring success, a single misstep in strategy has cost the makers crores in potential revenue.
Thudaram’s Meteoric Rise
Thudaram opened to packed houses, with ticket sales soaring primarily on the strength of Mohanlal’s star power and the film’s gripping content. Trade experts were initially skeptical due to the lack of aggressive marketing, but the movie’s stunning performance soon silenced all doubts. Predictions suggest that Thudaram will comfortably enter the 100 crore club, and some optimistic estimates even hint at a possible lifetime collection touching ₹150 crores.
Given the film’s low pre-release expectations, this ascension has been nothing short of phenomenal. Thudaram, in all senses, turned out to be the ideal example of content prevailing over commercial strategies—or so it appeared on the surface.
Poor Planning Dented the Bigger Picture
Though the popularity of Thudaram in the Malayalam states and to a certain extent the Telugu states cannot be doubted, the larger picture shows the loss of a golden opportunity. The producers failed to plan for a proper multi-language release, and this one choice could have cost them hundreds of crores in extra money.
Unlike other Mohanlal projects, Thudaram was not dubbed in Tamil, Kannada, or Hindi. There were no extensive promotion activities, no high-voltage interviews, and no big media thrust in the non-Malayalam speaking regions. This negative planning severely curtailed the reach of the film, particularly when the market for Malayalam movies has never been so welcoming in other states and even abroad.
With the increasing pan-Indian popularity of Malayalam films, thanks to OTT platforms and the recent success of Malayalam films in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and North India, Thudaram had the ideal recipe to become a national phenomenon. Unfortunately, the makers failed to leverage this momentum.
A Stark Contrast with L2: Empuraan
The example of L2: Empuraan, another recent Mohanlal film, is in stark contrast. L2 was heavily promoted throughout South Indian states with press tours, grand events, and interviews. However, despite the grand promotions, L2 failed to make an impression outside Kerala and did not meet its 300 crore revenue mark.
In Thudaram’s instance, though, the word-of-mouth love it garnered from the audience suggests that with even half of L2’s marketing efforts, the film might have reached a much bigger market. Had Thudaram opened with proper versions in Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi markets—coupled with regional promotions—it might have contributed at least ₹100-150 crores more to its overall box office collection.
An Opportunity Lost
Kerala actors have a huge fan base in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The Tamil version of Thudaram, especially, would have raked in impressive figures, considering Mohanlal’s popularity among Tamil fans. Furthermore, the fair success of the Telugu version indicates that language would not have been an issue if the team had worked harder.
In the present cinema, people are more willing to watch good content irrespective of the language. Movies like Kantara, 777 Charlie, and Drishyam 2 showed that if there is a well-planned promotion and multi-lingual release strategy, regional films can become national blockbusters. Sadly, Thudaram’s producers failed to catch this wave despite having all the ingredients for a pan-Indian hit.
Aside from the local market, there was potential abroad too. Markets such as the Middle East, USA, and Europe also have a substantial audience for South Indian cinema. A strongly marketed release in abroad could well have propelled Thudaram to the ₹200 crore or even ₹250 crore mark.
Lessons for the Future
The tale of Thudaram’s triumph and concurrent lost opportunity holds valuable lessons for movie producers, particularly those in the Malayalam movie industry. It emphasizes that even though content is the real king, effective marketing and broad releases are also equally important in optimizing a movie’s revenue potential.
Subsequent projects, particularly those featuring large stars such as Mohanlal, need to look beyond the conventional market. A more diversified approach, including pan-Indian releases, language-specific promotions and focussed international marketing, can no longer be a luxury—it is now the key to complete full-scale success.
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Conclusion
Thudaram’s case is a bittersweet one. One way to look at it is the unending might of big storytelling and star pull to captivate hearts and box office figures, all without making too much ado. But the other way to view it is the excruciating one of how a visionary vacuum and publicity planning can result in crores of unrealized potential revenue.
While Thudaram continues to mesmerize audiences everywhere it is screened, the creators can only look back and wonder what may have been. One shrewd move would have turned this stunning success story into a historic blockbuster that shattered every record.
For now, at least, audiences can celebrate the film’s excellence, but the trade cannot ignore: in modern cinema, a worthy film is entitled to an equally worthy release strategy.
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