If 2018 was a year of change for Kollywood, 2019 promises to see the faster transformation in terms of film production and marketing. The superstars will continue to dominate the trade, expanding the market outside Tamil Nadu. One of the most significant trends of 2018 was the growth of Tamil films in the domestic market.
Today, major Kannada and Malayalam producers have turned distributors for Tamil films in their home State. They find it more lucrative than making films in their own languages.
The Southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala are becoming a bigger market for certain Tamil stars. A few years back, 90% of the revenue for a big film came from Tamil Nadu. But today, the other states’ revenue for a Rajinikanth or a Vijay film is as high as 40% of the total sale of theatrical and other rights.
The overseas market is expanding to newer horizons. In the US, 2.0’s theatrical revenue matched some of the big Bollywood films. Tamil films are now releasing in places like Poland, Russia and Ukraine. There are so many new players who are willing to pay extra bucks for the big hero films.
In a year, the market value of a star’s film has almost doubled in the overseas sector. However, Tamil films are yet to crack the Chinese market. Will 2.0 manage to rake in the moolah in China when it releases in May 2019? China is all set to become the world’s biggest film market by 2021.
What kind of content will Tamil cinema offer in 2019? Yes, there will be more films catering to multiplex audience since women-centric films have scored big last year. Rural-based stories have lost their charm outside the State. Still, you may find a lot of caste-based themes in 2019. The rural entertainers laced with a strong message like Kadaikutty Singam will continue to draw audiences in the B and C centres.