In December, there were reports that Vijay’s Master will release in 1000 theatres across Tamil Nadu for the harvest festival of Pongal in January 2021. His previous release Bigil released in around 700 theatres in the state. The trend is such that these numbers increase with every film. Bigil was even re-released in Germany and France when theatres started opening post the pandemic in June 2020. Search on YouTube for Master teaser reactions in theatres and witness the madcap energy in possibly 50% occupancy theatres for a ninety second teaser. That’s the power of an event film.
In the South, as a film watching community, we cherish the event film. The more popular Hindi cinema that in this OTT era wishes to cannibalise the Indian film industry, probably got inducted into this ceremonial aspect with Baahubali. The SS Rajamouli films were event cinema and the filmmaker’s RRR too will be huge (with Bollywood actors jumping on the train) but films and their day of release as a…