Has Vijay Become the Biggest Star in Kollywood Post-Bigil's Success?

The release of Bigil marked a significant moment in Kollywood, Tamil cinema's premier film industry. Box office success often leads to stellar careers for actors, but the story of Bigil shows that Vijay still has a lot to prove.

The Financial Implications of Bigil's Release

Pre-release business for Bigil was around 197 crores, including a production budget of 180 crores (including print and publicity costs). For the producer, this meant a profit of around 12 crores. However, the aftermath for distributors is quite different. The sale of theatrical rights in Tamil Nadu alone was 73 crores to a distribution company, Screen Scene.

Screen Scene subsequently sold the movie to various sub-distributors in Tamil Nadu for the following amounts:

Chennai City - Gopuram Films: 7 crores Chengalpet - Kaliappan: 18.75 crores NS Arcot - Mali: 10.5 crores Coimbatore - Kandhaswamy Arts: 14 crores Madurai - Surya Movies: 12 crores Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari - Vasundra Devi Films: 5.1 crores Salem - Sushma Cine Arts: 7.20 crores Tiruchi and Thanjavur - Karpagam Films: 9 crores

The total theatrical distribution value in Tamil Nadu was 83.55 crores, indicating a 10.55 crore profit for Screen Scene.

The Near-Term Impact on Sub-Distributors

Despite these profits, sub-distributors faced a different challenge. Bigil generated 62 crores in share collections in its first week in Tamil Nadu, creating a loss of approximately 21.55 crores for sub-distributors. They approached producers for compensation, but producers stated that their profits were only 12 crores.

Subsequently, sub-distributors requested theater owners to extend the screening times of the movie. This strategy resulted in an overall share collection of around 80 crores from Tamil Nadu during the movie's entire run, reducing the initial 21.55 crores loss to about 3 crores. Despite this, Bigil remains a financial loss for sub-distributors in Tamil Nadu.

Criticism and Context

Local success is paramount in Kollywood, where movies are primarily made for the language audience. Therefore, the Bigil movie's failure in terms of share collections in its home state is a significant concern. While Bigil demonstrated success outside Tamil Nadu, this local failure questions whether Vijay’s position as the biggest star in Kollywood has been solidified yet.

Example of Successful Films

During the same period, Rajinikanth and Ajith Kumar released their respective films during the Pongal season. Both films were profitable for distributors, exhibitors, and producers in Tamil Nadu. As result, Rajinikanth and Ajith Kumar remain as influential stars in Kollywood.

Despite facing intense competition and the same time release, the films of Rajinikanth and Ajith Kumar ensured successful runs. This underscores the idea that local share collections are crucial in measuring a star's impact in the region.

Conclusion

While Bigil was a critical success, its financial implications for sub-distributors in Tamil Nadu highlight the challenges faced by the film's release. Vijay's status as the biggest star in Kollywood cannot be solely determined by a single film, especially in light of the success of his contemporaries. Local performance and the ability to consistently deliver commercially successful movies remain key factors in determining a star's status in Kollywood.