The recent press conference held by the Kerala Film Producers’ Association highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the Malayalam film industry, where only a few films have managed to yield profits for their producers. Notably, even high-profile projects like Mohanlal’s Barroz, which had a reported production budget of Rs 112 crore, struggled to recoup even 15% of its costs from theatrical earnings, as indicated by a list shared by the producers.

Conversely, the Malayalam cinema landscape is preparing for the release of two of its most significant films to date: L2: Empuraan, featuring Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran, and a film by Mahesh Narayanan, temporarily titled MMMN, which boasts an ensemble cast including Mammootty, Mohanlal, Nayanthara, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, and Asif Ali.

OTTplay reached out to producer Anto Joseph to discuss the motivations behind investing in a large-scale project like MMNM, which is said to have a budget exceeding Rs 100 crore.

Anto Joseph on Mammootty and Mohanlal’s MMNM and Empuraan

Regarding the collaboration of Mammootty and Mohanlal in MMNM and Empuraan, Anto Joseph remarked, “Certain films, regardless of the remuneration of the artists involved, contribute to the growth of the industry.” He cited the example of Kantara, which emerged during a challenging period for the Kannada film industry. “As a producer of a film like KGF, featuring an actor like Yash, one would not anticipate recovering the budget solely from the Kannada market. However, that film significantly elevated the industry’s status nationally, paving the way for subsequent successes like Kantara.”

Anto further noted that a similar phenomenon occurred in Malayalam cinema with the multi-starrer Twenty: 20 in 2008, which became one of the industry's biggest successes at the time. “It played a crucial role in expanding the industry. With a grand project like L2: Empuraan, producer Antony Perumbavoor aims to replicate this success. The film is set to be released nationwide in multiple languages,” he added, highlighting his previous support for films such as Malik and Take Off.

Five of the top eight highest-grossing films on their opening day in Kerala are productions in languages other than Malayalam, with Vijay's "Leo" at the forefront. He notes, "Consider this: when a film featuring Rajinikanth or Vijay is released in Kerala, we, as Malayalis, flock to theaters to watch them, resulting in record-breaking openings. In contrast, our Malayalam films do not receive the same immediate response. Our audience tends to wait for reviews and positive feedback before attending screenings of our films."

‘We want to create a bigger market for Malayalam cinema’

With "Empuraan" and "MMMN," he expresses hope that both he and Antony can "develop a substantial market for our films." "Antony envisioned 'Empuraan' being produced on the grand scale it merits. He has collaborated with various production houses to ensure its wide release in multiple languages. Our film is set to be the next major Malayalam release this year, and we aspire to achieve similar, if not greater, success—creating a market for Malayalam cinema across all languages," Anto elaborates.

When asked about the impact of artists' remuneration on the production scale of such films, especially since producers highlighted it as a challenge during the press conference, he acknowledges that reports indicate Mammootty and Mohanlal's fees exceed Rs 15 crore each.

Malayalam artistes are more cooperative: Anto Joseph

While Anto refrains from commenting on remuneration specifics, he emphasizes the importance of artists being supportive of such projects. "Regarding the increase in remuneration, I believe there is no significant difference compared to other industries. In fact, I would argue that the artists in our industry are more cooperative," he concludes.

Currently, "MMMN" has completed its schedule in Kochi, which included Nayanthara, and the team is preparing to move to Delhi. The cast and crew have already filmed in Sri Lanka, the UAE, and Azerbaijan.

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