For Nayanthara, a lot is riding on this Friday’s release Aramm, which is directed by Gopi Nainar. She plays a headstrong district collector named Madhivadhani, a crusader fighting for the people who are up against the nexus between bureaucracy and politicians.
Aramm is a crucial film for Kollywood, as this year’s female-oriented films such as Nayanthara’s Dora and Jyothika’s Magalir Mattum, did not match expectations at the box-office. In the past, women-centric films that had done well were horror films like Nayanthara’s Maya (2015), Hansika’s Aranmanai (2014), the socially-relevant Jyothika-starrer 36 Vayadhinile (2015) and Ritika Singh’s sports film Irudhi Suttru (2016).
The producer of Aramm, Kotapadi J Rajesh, says, “The film is socially relevant and is based on a real-life incident, but it is more of an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Nayanthara is there in every frame and we are riding on her box-office power to bring in the family audiences.”
There is a belief that Tamil film audiences do not accept strong female-oriented films, with some exceptions like Magalir Mattum (1994), Mozhi (2007), Poo (2008) and Thenmerku Paruvakatru (2010). The trade says that women-centric films fail to click in the crucial B and C markets.
Meanwhile in Bollywood, women have been receiving significant roles in heroine-oriented films. In the last five years, there has been a plethora of heroine-dominated films such as The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, English Vinglish, Queen, NH10, Piku, Pink, Nil Battey Sannata and Dear Zindagi, which worked at the box-office. Vidya Balan seems to have made a career out of such films and her latest, Tumhari Sulu, releases on November 17.
A leading Chennai-based distributor points out, “Women-oriented films are working in Bollywood due to multiplex audiences. In Tamil Nadu, it is the single screens that are calling the shots. The B and C markets, dominated by single screens, prefer to screen mass masala hero movies, while multiplexes in cities have small screens with a seating capacity of 100 to 160, ideal for such films.”
Trade experts feel that almost 80% of a Tamil heroine-oriented film’s collection comes from the 3 Cs — Chennai, Chengalpet and Coimbatore, as most multiplexes in the state are situated in this area. The budget of a heroine-oriented film is around Rs 5 to 7 crore, including cost of prints and publicity. Out of this, around Rs 2 to 3 crore comes from satellite, digital and other rights, and the rest has to be earned from Tamil Nadu and rest of India theatricals.
Nayanthara is balancing her career by doing big-budget films like Sivakarthikeyan’s Velaikkaran, and Telugu films with Chiranjeevi and Balakrishna and by also going out of her way to accommodate meaty women-centric roles. Aramm’s performance will be keenly watched by the trade, as Nayanthara has a string of solo heroine-oriented films (Imaikkaa Nodigal, Co Co) lined up.