Despite Tamil cinema celebrating the success of several films in 2024, such as Amaran, Maharaja, and Garudan, the year ultimately proved to be one of the most disappointing for the Tamil film industry. Reports indicate that Tamil film producers invested nearly ₹3000 crore in film production during 2024, yet they faced an overall loss of approximately ₹1000 crore. Out of the 241 films released that year, only around 18 achieved box office success, leaving 223 films unsuccessful. As Kollywood looks forward to 2025, there is a collective hope for improvement, with some stakeholders aiming to recalibrate content while others are concentrating on budget adjustments. However, the question remains: what factors contributed to this significant loss for producers in 2024? Was it the content, the quality of the films, or perhaps audience fatigue that rendered the year particularly challenging for filmmakers?

Dominos fall

One of the primary reasons cited for the ₹1000 crore loss incurred by producers is the unexpected failure of several high-budget films featuring prominent stars such as Suriya, Kamal Haasan, and Rajinikanth at the box office. A notable example is Suriya’s highly anticipated pan-Indian film, Kanguva. With a reported production budget of ₹350 crore, the film was heavily marketed throughout India, and producer KE Gnanavel Raja expressed confidence that it would generate at least ₹1000 crore upon its release. Regrettably, the film underperformed, grossing a mere ₹106 crore. Similarly, Director Shankar’s Indian 2, which was produced with a budget of ₹250 crore, only managed to earn approximately ₹150 crore at the box office. The audience's rejection of these films, along with other major releases like Rajinikanth’s Vettaiyan, has left the Kollywood industry in disarray.

Producer and distributor, BOFTA G Dhananjeyan, stated, “Tamil Cinema had significant expectations for high-budget films such as Indian 2, Kanguva, and Vettaiyan; however, none resonated with the audience. The only film that achieved box office success was The Greatest of All Time (GOAT), featuring Thalapathy Vijay. In contrast to 2023, which saw numerous hits including Jailer, Leo, Ponniyin Selvan 2, Varisu, and Thunivu, the year 2024 has not produced many successful films. The leading performers were restricted to The GOAT, Amaran, Raayan, Aranmani 4, and Maharaja, along with nine other films that performed reasonably well. Out of 241 films released, only 18 were successful, resulting in a success rate of 7%, while the remaining 93% were significant failures. Notably, nearly 150 films failed to recoup even their digital print and promotional costs.”

Where are the big guns?

A significant portion, approximately 70%, of films produced annually within the film industry typically underperform at the box office, making this a common occurrence rather than an anomaly. However, the financial setbacks experienced by producers and distributors are often mitigated when high-budget films achieve remarkable success, thereby balancing the overall profit-loss scenario. Trade analyst Ramesh Bala remarked that in a year where 200 films are released, around 30 to 40 are likely to succeed at various levels, such as blockbuster, super hit, hit, or at least break even. He expressed no surprise at the number of films that failed in 2024, noting that even major releases like Kanguva, Indian 2, and Vettaiyan did not perform as well as Jailer. The audience tends to reject films due to inadequate content or screenplay, among other factors related to the film's narrative. This creates a cyclical pattern where sometimes larger films succeed, while at other times, smaller, content-driven films find success.

In 2024, Tamil cinema also experienced a number of successful small and medium-budget films, although there was a noticeable decline in hits within this category. Dhananjeyan pointed out that only a few films in this budget range achieved success last year, citing titles such as Garudan, Lubber Pandhu, DeMonte Colony 2, and Vaazhai as notable exceptions. The Tamil audience appears to have shifted away from being enamoured with star power and extravagant productions, instead prioritizing quality scripts, compelling stories, and strong performances. This trend was further evidenced in January 2025, when director Shankar’s pan-Indian film Game Changer, featuring Ram Charan, garnered only around ₹10 crore in the Tamil market, which was deemed a failure by industry standards. In contrast, two smaller Tamil films, Madha Gaja Raja and Kudumbasthan, emerged as significant hits this month, grossing over ₹70 crore and ₹10 crore, respectively. This indicates that engaging narratives are currently the foremost priority for Tamil audiences.

Looking ahead, 2025 is set to feature several major Tamil films, including Ajith Kumar’s Vidaamuyarchi and Good Bad Ugly, as well as Rajinikanth’s Coolie.

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