The year 2015 proved to be an extremely eventful one as far as fans of Southern cinema are concerned. On one hand, some high-profile movies failed to live up to expectations while on the other quite a few relatively low-key films managed to enthrall critics and audiences alike thanks to their stellar content. Today, let us take a look at some releases which found tremendous commercial success despite low expectations.
Kaaka Muttai: Directed by debutant M Manikandan, ‘Kaaka Muttai’ revolved around two street kids who long for a bite of Pizza. Produced by Dhanush, this comedy drama featured child actors Ramesh and Vignesh in the lead roles. Shot on a meager budget of 7 million, it grossed close to 500 million at the box office.
Premam: Touted as a romantic-comedy, ‘Premam’ created quite a stir among move buffs, courtesy its simple narrative as well as sincere performance. Shot on a budget of Rs 4 crore, it raked in over Rs 60 crores upon release. Interestingly, it featured upcoming actors Sai Pallavi and Nivin Pauly in the lead.
Maya: Bearing testimony to Nayanthara’s acting prowess, this horror films featured her in a double role. Directed by newcomer Aashish Saravanan, ‘Maya’ clicked mainly because of a strong word of mouth and its compelling narrative. Interestingly, it was dubbed in Telugu as ‘Mayuri’.
Kumari 21 F: Featuring newcomer Raj Tarun in the lead, ‘Kumari 21 F’ opened to an impressive response on the commercial front and saw 80% occupancy on its opening day. Interestingly, it maintained its strong hold in the second week as well, overpowering Anushka Shetty’s ‘Size Zero’. Directed by Surya Pratap, 'Kumari 21 F' highlighted the turbulent relationship between a young man and his girlfriend.
Bahubali: It was just a few months ago that ‘Bahubali’ arrived in theatres after months of intense promotions. While it had managed to create some pre-release buzz, just about no one could have imagined that the period-drama would end up becoming a global sensation and redefine the very face of Southern cinema. Luckily, that is exactly what happened when the SS Rajmouli directorial broke the language barrier, flooring all and sundry. Shot simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu, it was dubbed into Hindi as well. Surprisingly, the Hindi version too proved to be a commercial success.
Thani Oruvan: Jayam Ravi began 2015 on a positive note when ‘Romeo Juliet’ set the cash registers ringing. However, things soon took an unfortunate turn as ‘Sakalakala Vallavan’ under performed at the ticket window. As such, expectations were not too high when ‘Thani Oruvan’ arrived in theatres a few months ago. However, luckily for the actor, this did not hinder its commercial prospects and the film soon became the talk of the town. Its well etched out characters and intense performances propelled the action-thriller to commercial and critical success.
Demonte Colony: Directed by Ajay Gnanamuthu and made on a budget of Rs 2 crores, this horror drama boasted of some highly relatable performances and a uniquely presented narrative. Starring newcomer Arulnithi in the lead it grossed nearly Rs 17 crore upon theatrical release.
36 Vayadhinile: Touted as actress Jyothika’s comeback vehicle, this Rosshan Andrews-directed drama revolved around how society attaches a lot of importance to a woman’s age while determining her abilities. Also featuring Nasser and Rahman in important roles, it enjoyed a successful run at the box office, collecting over Rs 24 crore at the box office.
Kaaki Sattai: A gripping action-drama, ‘Kaaki Sattai’ highlighted the struggles faced by a police constable when he tries to eradicate corruption from society. Boasting of some lifting tunes from Anirudh Ravichander, the film enthralled audiences courtesy his fast-paced narrative and propelled upcoming actor Sivakarthikeyan to stardom.
Kunjiramayanam: The very first onscreen collaboration between siblings Vineeth and Dhya, this Malayalam comedy was one of the most profitable Onam releases of the year. Moreover, it earned critical praise as well thanks to some deft writing.
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