PremiumDulquer Salmaan’s Kurup and Mohanlal’s Aaraattu among November releases as theatres in Kerala reopen?
Both movies are expected to draw big crowds across age groups and hope to get the wheels of theatres in motion, according to those in the industry
Last Updated: 08.55 AM, Oct 20, 2021
With theatres in Kerala gearing up to reopen on October 25, all eyes are on the big Malayalam releases. According to reports, Mohanlal’s Aaraattu and Dulquer Salmaan’s Kurup will be the first two big-budget, superstar-driven movies to hit theatres in Kerala.
While there has been no official confirmation regarding the release dates of both the movies, Aaraattu’s director B Unnikrishnan in a social media post earlier this month had clarified that the Mohanlal-starrer is aiming at a November release. Trade analyst Sreedhar Pillai also tweeted that Dulquer’s Kurup will be going for a worldwide release in November.
MC Bobby, an official of Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK), tells OTTplay, “The decision on the release of big films will be taken and announced solely by the producers of those films. As theatre owners, our aim to get our facilities ready for movies to play.”
On the two big films opening in theatres amid the pandemic, Bobby says, “Even after theatres reopen, it would take at least five months for things to get back to normal – for the audience to come back to cinema halls like in the past. Till then there’s always an element of financial risk involved; so, it’s entirely up to the producers and their belief in the content. As far as we are concerned, if Malayalam films don’t release, we will be playing Hollywood movies or those from other languages.”
Currently, Joju George’s Star will be the first Malayalam movie to hit theatres on October 29. Antony Varghese’s Ajagajantharam is expected to follow suit. Release dates have also been announced for Indrajith Sukumaran’s Aaha and Asif Ali’s Ellam Sheriyakum.
Aaraattu, Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, Kurup, Bheeshma Parvam and Hridayam are currently among the big movies that industry insiders have pinned their hopes on to draw the crowd back to theatres once again.