2017 has been hopeful for KFI in terms of the number of releases and the success of experimental movies under the creative leadership of newbies. The year was also fruitful for movie fanatics as they got to see the right mix of mass and class movies. Now, the news is that this Eight-Year-Decade-Old film industry has set a record of 180 movie releases in a year and is all set to break its own record. It is anticipated that by a year-end, the total number of releases is likely to cross the 200 mark with November having its largest share in it.
It seems that the Demonetisation and GST policies have made no negative mark on producers as the annual turn over is likely to touch 500-Crore this year as compared to 2016’s Rs.400 crore – Umesh Banakar (Vice President of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce).
It is said that in total, 22 films were released in the month of November which is considered to be the highest so far while April recording the least (8 movies). This equals to an average of four films per week, as against three in the previous year.
Box-Office Story
If we look at the number of releases v/s the success rate then it seems to be a total mismatch. It was not a happy story for Box-Office as the success rate stands at a maximum of 10%, meaning only 20 of the total films released have achieved the breakeven.
Mr. Banakar (Vice President of KFCC) opines and credits digitalization for the increase in the number of films but regrets for the quality of the process. He says,
“ According to our estimates, the success rate ranges from 3 to 5 percent. Only a few producers are in comfortable position.”
Ananth Nag and S.V Rajendra Singh Babu speaks
Expressing his views on the current trend, senior actor Ananth Nag said,
“Most of the films released in the last two months failed to pull the audience to theatres and producers suffered to the tune of 50 Crore.”
However, S.V Rajendra Singh Babu (President, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy) has a different opinion. He said, “There is nothing unusual. The success rate always swings between 7 and 10%.”
There are so many factors that can be attributed to the success or failure of movies in the state. However, the number of remakes have certainly come down and films dubbed from other languages were also released with ease. It is also observed that producers have to release their movies in Taluks and Districts considering the non-availability of screens in the metropolitan theatres.
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Movies that made Sound in the Box-Office
If we consider the high-budget movies in terms of box-office collection then only a few have tasted the success while the rest flunked silently. Raajakumara, Hebbuli, Bharjari, Bangara s/o Bangarada Manushya, Mugulu Nage and Mufti did exceptionally well at the box-office. On the other hand, things didn’t go right with these much-hyped movies like – Chakravarti, Mastigudi, Tiger Galli, Upendra Matte Baa, Pushpaka Vimana, Mass Leader and Pataki.
Surappa Babu (Secretary, Karnataka Film Producers Association) said,
“Quality films have suffered due to non-availability of screens. Producers are gambling without understanding the ground realities. “
A Ray of Hope
Film industries are not judged with a couple of hits or a series of flops however there are so many factors that come into place. In this context, experiments by young story-tellers have successfully managed to entertain the audience. Few of the movies which created a hope in 2017 are Ondu Motteya Kathe, Shuddhi, Kempiruve, Dayavittu Gamanisi, and Mufti.
This was about KFI in 2017. Please let us know your thoughts on the current trend and your views on Kannada Film Industry in 2018.
Source: The Hindu
