Have you noticed that South Asian films are becoming more popular with large cinema operators in Singapore? “Kapoor & Sons” and “Vettah” came out the week of 17 March, while “Kadhalum Kadanthu Pogum” and “Puthiya Niyamam” were out in cinemas in the preceding week of 10 March. That’s four films coming out in just these two weeks alone.
Increased demand for South Asian films
Cinema operator Golden Village has seen an increase in demand for Hindi and Tamil films in recent years. Programming Director for Golden Village Multiplex Ms Sharanjit Kaur said that they screened 3 Hindi films in 2014 and 66 Hindi and Tamil titles in 2015, and. In just one year, the number of South Asian film screened here has increased by 22 times.
Some South Asian blockbusters can perform better than smaller Hollywood films, even though generally, they serve a smaller customer base, said a representative from Golden Village about the films in Singapore.
One of the highest grossing Bollywood films came out just last year, “Barangji Bhaijaan,” and it grossed $93 million USD worldwide in just three months.
“I think that’s great, it gives the genre a variety that we have not had before,” said Ms P. Durga Devi, 30, writer, on the increasing number of South Asian films screened in Singapore. “Yishun GV — that was the one of the only few cinemas that screened Tamil films back then.”
Ms Roghini Mayparol, 31, office manager, also agreed. “Usually in the past, I watched Hindi films at Bombay Talkies at Shaw Towers and Tamil films at Rex Cinemas along MacKenzie Road. But from late 2014 I was able to watch popular films like ‘Chennai Express’ and the animation, ‘Kochadaiiyaan,’ at City Square Mall and AMK Hub.”
Ms Devi also had the chance to catch “Thani Oruvan” at City Square Mall when it was released in August last year.
Golden Village Cinemas is at City Square Mall, while Cathay Cineplex is at AMK Hub.
Ms Mayparol believes that the increase in popularity is linked to Hollywood films. “A lot of Bollywood actors are acting in Hollywood movies and so more people recognise them now.” She noted that “I,” a Tamil romantic thriller about a bodybuilder turned supermodel, had its special effects done by Weta Workshop, and even had Arnold Schwarzenegger at their music launch.
With the increase in the variety of films available, Ms Devi hopes to catch more indie films in mainstream cinemas in the future. Ms Mayparol is looking forward to the new Shah Rukh Khan movie, “Fan,” when it hits Singapore.
South Asian films
South Asian films come in a variety of languages, mainly Hindi and Tamil, with some films like “Vettah” and “Puthiya Niyamam” having Malayalam dialogue, and upcoming film “Shivalinga” in Kannada. While mostly known for being family dramas and romances in the past, their genres have also expanded to include horror, thrillers, and even biopics.
Bollywood films from Mumbai are the best known of South Asian films and use Hindi dialogue, while films in other languages fall outside of the Bollywood category.
Some of the most popular Bollywood films this century are: “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” a family drama that spans decades and generations; the “Dhoom” series, three action films about cop duo Jai Dixit and Ali Akbar; “3 Idiots,” a comedy that broke records in India when it first opened for highest-grossing film in an opening weekend; and “Kal Ho Naa Ho,” a romance that includes a love triangle and a terminally ill character.
Upcoming South Asian films
27 March
Shivalinga
Genre: Horror thriller
Stars: Shiva Rajkumar, Vedhika
1 April
Ki & Ka
Genre: Romantic comedy
Stars: Arjun Kapoor, Kareen Kapoor Khan
15 April
Fan
Genre: Thriller drama
Stars: Shah Rukh Khan, Mariola Jaworska, Joelle Koissi
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