Summer Ahoy!

The summer season (April, May, June), traditionally the best in Kollywood, has started with the release of Surya-Tamannaah starrer Ayan, directed by KV Anand.
The film has taken a bumper opening and is all set to become the actor���s biggest hit. Worldwide, summer is the best season to release films and all big-budget, star-studded extravaganzas are released during this period.In the next three months, some more big films will hit the screens, and even if at least two of them become super hits, it will be a big boost to recession-hit Kollywood, that is reeling under flops.
Says leading exhibitor Abirami Ramanathan, who also distributes big-budget star movies during summer, ���For a long time, most big Tamil stars have preferred summer releases, especially on April 14 or May 1. It���s the best season to release a film because it���s vacation time for schools and colleges and families in large numbers come to watch movies. A summer hit will ensure 15 to 20 percent additional box-office collections. In 2007, we distributed Rajinikanth���s Sivaji, which was a hit, and this summer, we are going to release Vikram���s Kandasamy in mid-May, which will be a super hit for sure.���
This year, in Kollywood, a lot is riding on the summer biggies worth around Rs 140 crore. The first of the biggies to release was Surya���s Ayan, on April 3. The other big budget star movies due are Vijaykanth���s Marriyathai, Arya���s Sarvvam, Vishal���s Thoranai, Jayam Ravi���s Peraanmai, Selvaraghavan���s Aayirathil Oruvan and Sarath Kumar���s Jaggu Bhai. Nearly a dozen small movies in the Rs 3-6 crore budget range are also to be released during April, May and June. These include films like Anandha Thandavam, Pasanga, Nandhalala, Vaamanan, Krishnaleelai, Modhi Vilayadu, Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puraavum, Rajathi Raja and Nadodigal. ���Love stories made on a small budget, with good music and a story with young actors may also do well in summer,��� says Sekhar, a mediator who acts as a middle man between Tamil film producers and distributors.
However, there is a lot of apprehension in the trade about this summer as the IPL starts on April 17 and ends on May 24. Though the T-20 matches are being played in South Africa, the timings are at 4 pm and 8 pm (IST) and clash with the prime time matinee, evening and night shows. A spokesperson of a multiplex warns, ���Last year, we had a disastrous summer due to IPL. Later, Dasavatharam revived the box-office in June as it was released after the tournament. This year, it is going to be worse as the IPL and Lok Sabha elections are happening at the same time. Some sections of our audience find it more lucrative to do election-related work.���
And there is still more cricket to come with ICC Twenty-20 Cricket World Cup 2009, which takes place from June 6 to 21 in England. It will be bigger and far more exciting than the IPL, with India likely to clash with Pakistan when the super eight stage starts! But, as producer Kalaipuli Dhanu explains, ���Come IPL or elections, I will release my Kanthasamy in May. In the future, IPL and summer releases have to co-exist. If your content is good, nothing can stop your film turning out to be a hit.���
Sreedhar Pillai