R Madhavan says re-releases of films a trend, not a game changer
R Madhavan says
re-releases of films a trend, not a game changer
In the midst re-releases of films in theatres
Veteran Kollywood actor R Madhavan says that while the trend persists, it won’t last long.
Recently, there has been a witness to
re-releases such as Sanam Teri Kasam, Tumbbad, and Rockstar among others which turned out to be massive success at the box office in comparison to the newly released films struggling to make an impact. Amid discussions about whether re-releases are affecting the box office collections of new films, actor Madhavan says, it’s just a trend and won’t last long.
The 54-year-old, whose 2001 film Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein was
re-released in theatres in August 2024, after a gap of 23 years, weighed in on the phenomenon: “He thinks it’s driven by a nostalgia factor — people want to relive the experience of watching these films in theatres, especially those films which they did not fully appreciate when it originally released in theatres, like Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein and Tumbbad Mein and Tumbbad.
He adds, “All these films didn’t get much appreciation when they first released, but over a period became a cult hit. So, the audiences want to see the original glory and enjoy the nostalgia.”
He believes re-releases will happen to some extent, but they won’t be a game-changer,” adding that it’ll mainly serve as extra pocket money for the producers. The actor notes that “Nostalgia is just that — nostalgia. It’s not current investment.
While he acknowledges that the trend is likely to continue for some time, he also points out that “newer films may struggle to compete.” Madhavan further went on to add that, at times, the nostalgia surrounding older films can hold more relevance than the movies debuting in theatres that weekend.”
Highlighting the growing challenge for filmmakers.
He continued that today, nobody cares how much publicity you’ve done with the film. Nobody cares about the on-ground activities you’ve done. People are more aware than ever, making it harder to simply tell them, ‘Come watch our films in theatres’,” adding, “Today, we’re not just competing with Instagram reels and content from peers or non-professionals on social media — content that sometimes feels more immediate and relatable than a movie but we’re also up against the pull of nostalgic films making a comeback. For today’s filmmakers, earning the respect and attention of viewers is more challenging than ever.” Further adding “Back in the day, when a film by a big director would release [in theatres], we’d go watch it thinking, ‘yeh toh mahaan log hain, inki philosophy dekho’; apko lagta that yeh aapse bahut zyada evolved hai. People would enter the theatres with respect to watch their films. But today, everyone is on social media until the moment the film begins. That sense of reverence is missing.” Now that respect doesn’t exist.
News Edit KV Raman
