Diwali Drama: ‘KA’ Movie’s ₹26.5 Crore Success Story Marred by Theater Politics and Tamil Nadu Rejection

Starring Tollywood’s young hero Kiran Abbavaram in the lead role, ‘Ka‘, directed by the young duo Sujith and Sandeep, has been a massive success, particularly during the 2024 Diwali season. Co-starring young beauty Nayan Sarika, the film’s collections have been steadily increasing, grossing over Rs. 26.52 crores in the first four days, surprising everyone. However, the film could have earned even more if not for certain injustices at the theaters which have significantly affected its collections. If this mistake is not rectified, the future of smaller films could be seriously jeopardized.

Injustice in Theater Allocations

‘Ka’, starring Kiran Abbavaram, was announced long ago as a Diwali release, initially facing no competition for the holiday slot. However, other films such as ‘Lucky Baskhar‘, ‘Amaran‘, and ‘Bagheera‘ entered the Diwali fray later. Except for ‘Lucky Baskhar’, the other films were foreign language films dubbed in Telugu. Due to the release of ‘Amaran’ and ‘Bagheera’, ‘Ka’ did not receive the expected number of theaters. Moreover, multiplexes showed a preference for showcasing ‘Amaran’. With a strong production house like Mythri Movie Makers backing ‘Lucky Baskhar’, that film did not face any theater issues. However, ‘Ka’ suffered significant losses. Being a smaller film without a major star, distributors and exhibitors were hesitant to screen ‘Ka’, which ended up being shown in only 147 theaters across the Telugu states. Had ‘Amaran’ and ‘Bagheera’ been blocked from releasing during Diwali, ‘Ka’ would have easily secured more theaters and possibly joined the Rs. 50 crore club due to its strong performance.

Ignored by ‘Kollywood’!

Tamil films receive extensive support from Telugu audiences, with stars like Suriya, Karthi, Vikram, Rajinikanth, and Kamal Haasan enjoying a separate fan base in the Telugu states, contributing significantly to the high box office collections of Tamil films. However, Telugu films do not receive the same level of appreciation in Tamil Nadu. Telugu films are somewhat looked down upon by Tamil directors, producers, and audiences. The issue with ‘Ka’ highlighted this bias once again. As part of a pan-India release strategy, the makers of ‘Ka’ had planned a strong release in Tamil Nadu. However, Tamil directors and producers completely blocked the release of ‘Ka’, fearing that it would compete with local Diwali releases. Not a single theater was offered in Tamil Nadu, which Kiran Abbavaram himself announced. Had ‘Ka’ been released there, the potential increase in collections would have been significant. Due to the lack of theaters, ‘Ka’ is now slated to release there a week late.

Ignored by the Media!

Even when injustices occur against ‘Ka’ in both Tamil Nadu and the Telugu states, Tollywood elites and entertainment media remain silent. Telugu film sites, journalists, and social media that repeatedly highlight Kiran Abbavaram’s failures are silent on the injustices happening even though the film is achieving great success. They often question the necessity of a large budget for your film and whether it can recover the investment but remain silent when collections are drastically reduced. Isn’t the entertainment media responsible for supporting good cinema? If this situation does not change, the future of small films could be in jeopardy, especially during festival seasons, potentially discouraging young heroes and directors from releasing films.

Change is Necessary!

Regardless of the industry Bollywood, Kollywood, Sandalwood, Mollywood, or Hollywood and regardless of the season, films are provided in theaters. If necessary, they indirectly pressure small films to step aside. This situation needs to change. During festive seasons like Sankranti, Dussehra, Diwali, and summer, checks should be placed on dubbing films from neighboring states, suggesting a delayed release of one week to ensure good collections for Telugu films. There is no injustice to anyone here. When Tamil Nadu prioritizes Tamil films, the same rule should apply in Telugu states. Tollywood elders, producers, and distributors need to think about this.